Urgent Call for Transformation: Gauhati HC Demands Jail Improvement Reports from Nagaland and 3 States | MorungExpress

Directive Issued by Gauhati High Court on Jail Conditions in Northeast States

The Gauhati High Court has mandated the states of Nagaland, Assam, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh to submit detailed affidavits addressing serious concerns over the state of their central and district jails. This decision was made by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kaushik Goswami during a hearing on December 20, 2024.

The directive follows an unsatisfactory inspection report prepared by a Committee that includes the Member Secretary of the Assam State Legal Services Authority and the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons for the Guwahati and Jorhat ranges. As part of their investigation, the Committee evaluated the jail conditions across these four northeastern states and found them largely unsatisfactory as of the affidavit submitted by the Registrar General of the Gauhati High Court on August 20, 2024.

The Court highlighted that none of the states have yet responded to the affidavit addressing these findings, prompting this latest order. It requires the states to file comprehensive affidavits that not only address the identified issues but also outline any actions taken based on the Committee’s recommendations. If the recommendations have not been implemented, the states must specify the timeline for doing so.

The case is scheduled for further hearing as a Writ Petition (Suo Moto) on January 29, 2025. The Court instructed that the states must file their responses by this date. This critical examination seeks to address and improve the dire conditions facing inmates, ensuring their conditions align with legal and humanitarian standards.

This development is part of ongoing judicial oversight to uphold the rights and wellbeing of prisoners across these states, urging authorities to act on recommended reforms for betterment and compliance with institutional standards.

Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/gauhati-hc-seeks-jail-improvement-reports-from-nagaland-3-states
Category : Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2024-12-30 01:06:00