CUTTACK: In a significant move, the Orissa High Court on Thursday decided to hold “a special sitting” on a holiday on May 21 for hearing the PIL on problems of jails in the State. The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice RK Pattanaik said, it was important to keep monitoring the implementation of the directions of the court and so a special sitting at 10.30 am on Saturday will be held for the petition.
May 20 is the last working day before the court goes into summer vacation. The court has scheduled the PIL as the only case for hearing the next day. “While there is significant progress in improving the facilities, hygiene in the jails and the living conditions of the prisoners, and this is evident from the photographs/video clips sent to the court, much more is still required to be done,” the bench observed.
While asking the Director General of Prisons to remain present for the hearing in virtual mode, the bench said, “The court is informed that Mr. Manoj Chhabra will be soon taking over as the Director-General of Prisons, Odisha. The court requests Mr. Chhabra to undertake a personal visit to the Circle Jail at Choudwar as one of the first tasks and ensure that on a war footing the conditions in the Circle Jail are considerably improved.”
On April 20, the court had issued fresh orders to the secretaries of district legal services authorities (DLSAs) to visit the jails again on April 30 and May 1, and submit the follow-up report accompanied by the photographs to the court. Accordingly, Amicus Curiae Gautam Misra had analysed the reports of the DLSAs and placed a convenience note before the court.
The court on viewing the photographs of the Circle Jail, Choudwar, took notice of the “pathetic condition” of the toilets, drains, restrooms and wards. “Being the Circle Jail and located so close to Cuttack, there can be no excuse for the poor condition,” the bench observed.
In the order, the bench also took note of the state of affairs at Athamallik sub-jail, which alleged to be under full control of convicts and not jail officials. The convicts were allegedly torturing other inmates.
The court directed the District Judge, Angul to immediately visit both the district jail at Angul as well as the sub-jail at Athamallik, to conduct an enquiry and submit a report before the next date.