Supreme Court Eliminates Caste Discrimination in Jails: A Legal Milestone

The Supreme Court of India has declared caste-based discrimination practices in prisons unconstitutional. The decision mandates changes in prison manuals of several states, eliminating bias like segregation of prisoners based on caste. All states and the Centre must review and amend relevant regulations within three months.

In a ground-breaking decision, the Supreme Court of India has ruled against caste-based discrimination in prisons, declaring such practices unconstitutional. The ruling affects ten states, urging them to amend prison manuals that foster bias.

A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud emphasized that dignity should extend to incarcerated individuals, reflecting the need to shed colonial-era criminal laws. It called for revisions within three months and compliance reports to be filed subsequently.

This landmark judgment removes discriminatory rules against de-notified tribes and habitual offenders, addressing fundamental rights concerning equality and human dignity, and undertakes significant steps towards reforming prison systems across the nation.

(With inputs from agencies.)