VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday directed the State government to submit a detailed status report on the steps taken to implement the Supreme Court’s directions on prison reforms, including the establishment and expansion of open prisons and improvement of prison infrastructure.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Lisa Gill and Justice Challa Gunaranjan issued notices to the Principal Secretary, Home Department, and directed the government to file a comprehensive status report by August 20. The court also impleaded the Member Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh State Legal Services Authority as a suo motu respondent and adjourned the matter to the same date.
The High Court took up the issue through a suo motu writ petition in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions issued on February 26 this year. In its judgment, the apex court had called for uniform national standards governing open prisons, including inmates’ wages, vocational training, healthcare, and measures to strengthen family ties.
The Supreme Court had also directed all states and Union Territories to prepare time-bound action plans for establishing and expanding open prisons. It further observed that women prisoners should not be excluded from the benefits of open prisons and instructed states to reorganise existing facilities and barracks to accommodate eligible women inmates. To ensure that these directions are implemented effectively at the ground level, the SC had instructed all High Courts to initiate suo motu proceedings to monitor compliance.
The court sought details of the measures taken by the State government to implement the apex court’s directives. It directed the authorities to place a complete status report before the court by August 20, making it clear that the matter would continue to be monitored as part of the suo motu proceedings.