Prisons in Himachal to be decongested

Legal Correspondent
Shimla, May 14

With the objective of reducing overcrowding in jails, a meeting of high-powered committee was held under the chairpersonship of Justice Ravi Malimath, who is also the executive chairman, HP State Legal Services Authority (HPSLSA), through video conferencing. Under the current situation/risk of virus spreading in the prisons was also discussed.

The meeting was also attended by Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Judge, High Court of Himachal Pradesh as Special Invitee; Manoj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and N Venu Gopal, Director General (Prisons), as members and Prem Pal Ranta, Member Secretary, HPSLSA, as the Presenting Officer.

Inmates entitled to medical facilities

Inmates as well as jail staff are entitled to proper medical facilities and Covid-19 safety equipment such as masks, sanitizers, PPE kits, as per the existing protocol issued by the Health Department.

The high-powered committee ordered to decongest the prisons by releasing the inmates on interim bail/parole. This was stated by Prem Pal Ranta, Member Secretary, HPSLSA.

He further informed that from January, 1 to April, 30, as many as 245 eligible convicts were granted parole, whereas 71 convicts are out of the jails on parole. A total of 33 life convicts were prematurely released from the jails on the recommendations of the HP State Sentence Review Board.

He further informed that in its meeting the committee resolved that those convicts, who are at present on parole, will be granted parole/special parole as per earlier decision of the high-powered committee taken on March, 27, 2020 and who have surrendered on time will be entitled for an additional period of 90 days.

The committee, in its virtual meeting, further directed that the inmates as well as jail staff are entitled to proper medical facilities and Covid-19 safety equipment such as masks, sanitizers, PPE kits as per the existing protocol issued by the Health Department.

It further directed that the jail superintendents will maintain appropriate levels of hygiene and sanitation in the jails and suitable precautions be taken to prevent the transmission of diseases among the inmates of the prison.