Provide facilities to prisoners as per SC directions: HC asks J&K, Ladakh govts

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday (December 26) asked the J&K government to provide all facilities to prisoners in Union territories of J&K and Ladakh in accordance with the Supreme Court directions.

A bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sindhu Sharma also emphasised upon the need to take disability audits by the two UT governments in their respective territories. The bench gave the direction while hearing a public interest lawsuit on the plight of jail inmates in the two UTs.

The bench said some essential and requisite facilities must be provided to jail inmates like pregnant women, women and children and the children living along with their mothers in jails.

As per a Supreme Court’s 2007 verdict in RD Updhayay versus State of Andhra Pradesh case, the facilities to be provided include education and recreation to children staying with their mothers in jail, the bench said.

The bench, while issuing these directions, noted that the J&K State Legal Services Authority has taken several steps in this regard, but emphasised upon the need to take more such measures.

The bench also directed the prison director generals of the two UTs to undertake disability audit in all prisons and ensure that no difficulty is faced by any prisoner on account of disability or age.

A report in this regard shall be filed by prison director general before us on the next date of hearing, the bench said.