Nainital (Uttarakhand): The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to the Home Secretary for not implementing the Supreme Court’s directives concerning jail reforms.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that highlighted issues such as the installation of CCTV cameras in state prisons, the living conditions of prisoners, their mental and physical well-being, and the demand for increased honorarium for their work.
During the hearing, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal issued the notice to the Home Secretary of Uttarakhand for not implementing the Supreme Court’s directives despite repeated reminders over the years.
The Uttarakhand government has been asked to ensure compliance with the court's order by September 30. If compliance is met before the deadline, the government can file an application to withdraw the contempt proceedings. The next hearing has been scheduled for September 30.
The court remarked that despite clear instructions from the Supreme Court issued to all states for jail reforms, the Uttarakhand government has not implemented the necessary changes. The Supreme Court had mandated all states to install CCTV cameras in prisons and improve basic facilities as part of the reform process. Uttarakhand has not complied with the guidelines which were issued in 2015.
According to the PIL, filed by Santosh Upadhyay and others, the state government has failed to address the Supreme Court's orders, particularly regarding the installation of CCTV cameras and filling vacant posts in the Human Rights Commission. The petitioners also highlighted that prisoners in Uttarakhand are still paid less than common labourers.
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