CUTTACK: Reviving an over 14-year-old PIL along with another filed six years ago, the Orissa High Court has directed the district collectors in the State to submit a detailed report on the condition of jails within their jurisdiction.
The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice BP Routray said, “Between March 15 and April 16, the district magistrates will make a surprise visit to the jails within their jurisdiction in coordination with the Secretary of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) or Taluk Legal Services Committee (TLSC) as the case may be and submit a joint report to this Court. Preferably, these visits should be unannounced.”
The Court issued the order on the two petitions that had raised issues over the human rights of inmates of jails in the State including circle jails, district jails, special jails, special sub-jails, open air jails, sub-jails and jail for women.
The Court had appointed Gautam Mishra as Amicus Curiae in the matter.
In the order issued on March 9, a copy of which was available on Saturday, the bench said, “The State government will also organise at least one medical inspection of each of the district jails and sub-jails in the State by a team of professionals within the aforementioned period and the reports of such visits will also be placed before the Court on the next date”.
The matter has been posted to April 27 for hearing along with the report.
The Court also expected the report to include the condition of prisoners, issues of overcrowding, status of installation of CCTVs in the jails and rampant use of narcotics and mobile phones inside the jails.
The Court also directed the Member Secretary, Odisha State Legal Services Authority (OSLSA) to gather information in close coordination with the IG of Prisons on the number of prisoners who have been unable to be released, despite being granted bail, on account of their inability to furnish bail bonds.