Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 20: High Court today directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to obtain the copy of draft of the jail manual from Delhi Legal Services Authority to enable the examination of the same in Kashmir as well.
Hearing a suomoto cognizance of a letter addressed by Supreme Court for condition of jails and jail inmates, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice D S Thakur directed the counsel
representing DLSA in order to obtain the draft of jail manual which was later finalized for Delhi, approach the Member Secretary, Delhi, Legal Services Authority and standing counsel, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCT), Delhi for the same.
An exercise with regard to conditions of jails in Delhi has been undertaken under the aegis of the Member Secretary, Delhi Legal Services Authority.
Meanwhile, attention of the court has been drawn to a series of orders directing proper inspection of the jails by the District Judges and the members of the committee appointed by the court.
It has been submitted by counsel for the petitioner, that all these orders have been of no avail. It is a hard reality, he said before the court, that nothing has taken place on the ground so far as the issue regarding prison conditions involved in these public interest litigations are concerned.
However, this position of petitioner counsel stated before the court has been refuted by state counsel, who stated that issues which are pointed out are being examined and steps taken by official respondents.
Court recorded that certain reports have been filed by the District Judges with regard to the inspection of the jails. However, the copies of these reports have not been made available to the counsel appearing in the matter.
Court directed the Registry to ensure that copies of the reports received from the District Judges are made available to all the counsels appearing in the matter and be examined by them and submissions be made by the counsel for the parties on the next date of hearing.
The District State Legal Services Authority was also directed to ensure that inspection is conducted and report with regard to conditions of jails shall be placed before this court within two weeks.
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