Supreme Court's Landmark Verdict: Eliminating Caste Bias in Prisons

The Supreme Court ruled to remove caste references in prisoners' records to combat caste-based discrimination in jails. Despite this, data collection by NCRB will remain unaffected. The judgment mandates changes in state prison manuals to ensure equality and uphold prisoners' dignity, following a PIL by journalist Sukanya Shantha.

In a significant decision, the Supreme Court has mandated the removal of caste references from prisoner records across jails, ensuring this will not hinder data collection by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The ruling, delivered by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasizes the unconstitutionality of caste-based discrimination in prison practices, such as labor division and barrack segregation.

The decision follows a Public Interest Litigation by journalist Sukanya Shantha highlighting caste biases in prisons, prompting an overhaul of state prison manuals and laws within three months to preserve the dignity of all prisoners.

(With inputs from agencies.)