Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 26; A Division Bench of High Court Comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sindhu Sharma today directed Director General (Prisons) to undertake an exercise of ensuring that disability audit of all prisons is undertaken and steps taken to ensure that no difficulty is faced by any prisoner on account of disability or age.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, DB observed that this matter has been repeatedly adjourned at the request of B. A. Dar, Sr. AAG to the effect that the new Jail Manual was at the stage of finalization and only formal approval had to be recorded. Today again time has been sought to place the new Jail Manual on record.
DB directed that the final view, which will be taken, shall be placed on record positively within six weeks from today, failing which Secretary, Department of Home, Union Territory of J&K, shall remain personally present in the Court on the next date.
DB further observed that as in other parts of the country, it is essential to have a disability audit undertaken of the jails in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Union Territory of Ladakh.
DB further observed that several steps, in this regard, are being undertaken by the J&K State Legal Services Authority as well.
DB further observed that so far as Central Prison, Tihar, Delhi, is concerned, the MIPMAN Foundation, an organization having expertise in the field, has assisted the concerned authorities in undertaking the disability audit and facilitating creation of facilities for the disabled prisoners in the jails. —JNF |
