Govt amends prison manual to end caste-based work allotment
On the direction of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the state government has amended all caste-based provisions in the Himachal Pradesh Prison Manual, 2021, to ensure equality and elimination of caste-based work allocation among prisoners. The step has been taken to ensure that there is no caste-based discrimination in the prisons of the state.
A spokesperson for the government today said that a para had been inserted in the manual, prohibiting caste-based discrimination in prisons and correctional institutions. “The newly added provision in para 5.66 ensured that no discrimination, classification or segregation of prisoners will occur on the basis of caste. Whereas, para 5.67 mandates that there will be no discrimination against prisoners in the allotment of duties or work in prisons on the basis of their castes. Para 5.68 invokes the provision that the prisoners will not be engaged in manual scavenging, sewrage maintenance and septic tank cleaning. Earlier, there was a provision in the Prison Manual allowing the employment of paid sweepers in the absence of female prisoners for cleaning tasks. This clause, previously under para 214, has been deleted,” he added.
The spokesperson said that now the jail records would no longer mention the caste, community or religious affiliations of the prison inmates. “These provisions for noting caste, sect and denomination in the clause 5 of the register number one, register of un-convicted prisoners and the point number two of the register number two, register of convicts mentioned in para 33/06 have been deleted. Previously, the Prison Manual included provisions for such classifications. The state government has introduced these reforms through the Himachal Pradesh Prison Manual Second Amendment, 2025,” he added.
Furthermore, the amended manual provides a clear definition of habitual offenders. A person will be classified as a habitual offender if he has been convicted or sentenced to imprisonment on more than two occasions on account of any one or more offences committed on different occasions and not constituting parts of the same transaction within a continuous period of five years, provided the convictions have not been overturned on an appeal or review.
The spokesperson said that the government was committed to upholding the dignity of prisoners and ensuring equality and justice to them through fair and non-discriminatory prison operations in the state.
