Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 5: High Court today directed the authorities of jails to stop the operation of CCTV cameras, if in place, in the toilets and washrooms as it exposes the privacy of inmates.
The direction was passed by the court after a team of Bar that had visited many jails submitted that they noticed CCTV cameras fixed in toilets and washrooms in the prisons.
“CCTV cameras, if in place in the toilets/washrooms in the jails, shall not be operated i.e. its use in toilets and washrooms shall be stopped, so as to maintain decency and privacy of the inmates of the jail”, directed the Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice D S Thakur while hearing a petition filed by the Bar Association.
Court also directed the jail authorities to ensure that the inmates who are facing trial are produced before the court whenever production is directed by the trial courts.”Provide proper medical facilities to the inmates of the jail, as permissible. Maintain proper hygienic atmosphere in the jails”, court
directed after it was informed that these facilities are lacking in the jails and sought compliance report from the jail authorities by or before next date of hearing in the matter which has been fixed in the week commencing April 17.
Court has also taken note of its earlier order passed on February this year in which Principal District Judges of all the districts of the State were called upon to strictly comply with the directions passed from time to time with respect to visiting the jails in order to see whether the jail condition and basic facilities are available or not. In compliance to the order, District Judges of Rajouri, Reasi, Ganderbal, Samba, Baramulla and Bhaderwah have filed the report.
The other District Judges who have not submitted the requisite report have been directed by the court to submit the same by or before next date.
Court meanwhile took the visiting reports submitted by the Bar Committee on record.
Court in its previous direction had asked the petitioner-Association to prepare a check list as to what are the requirements that are to be provided to the detenues keeping in mind the decisions of the Supreme Court so that a workable solution is found and effectively managed. Petitioner Association in light of the order of the Court, made two teams of lawyers who visited some of the jails viz. Central Jail, Srinagar, Central Jail, Kotebalwal Jammu, District Jail, Kathua and District Jail, Udhampur and after meeting the detenues, undertrial prisoners and convicts lodged in these jails prepared two reports, which were place before the court today.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel