Supreme Court Calls for Comprehensive Prison Reforms

The Supreme Court emphasized the need for prison reform to ensure inmates' dignity under the Constitution. It restored the transfer of a convicted gangster, highlighting systemic deficiencies in India’s prison system. The court urged the Jharkhand government to implement reforms in line with the 2016 Model Prison Manual.

The Supreme Court has underscored the urgent need for reformation within India's prison administration to ensure prisoners live with dignity as mandated by the Constitution. Highlighting systemic flaws, the court called for reformative measures for a humane prison culture.

A bench including Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan emphasized treating prisoners as human beings with rights, quoting Fyodor Dostoevsky to highlight societal civilization measured by prison conditions. They ruled against a Jharkhand High Court decision that quashed the transfer of Vikash Tiwary, a convicted gangster.

The bench restored the transfer order, stressing safety concerns and the need to prevent gang violence in prisons. The court advocated for periodic monitoring of prison conditions and alignment with constitutional principles, pushing the Jharkhand government to implement the 2016 Model Prison Manual for uniformity.

(With inputs from agencies.)