Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court has directed the govt to establish district-level monitoring committees aimed at enhancing prison reforms and improving conditions within jails across the state. The order comes as a response to a series of public interest litigations concerning the welfare of prisoners and the administration of prisons.A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay K Agrawal and Justice Sameer Jain, mandated that these committees, which will be chaired by district judges, must consist of key figures including the director general of prisons, the member secretary of Rajasthan state legal services authority, and the director of the department of information technology (DOIT). The committees are tasked with reviewing adherence to judicial directives concerning prison security, infrastructure integrity, and the overall welfare of inmates.A crucial aspect of the court’s ruling is the requirement for a state-level mechanism to evaluate these matters quarterly. The court specifically highlighted the pressing need for improved monitoring systems, directing DOIT and RAJCOMP Info Services Ltd to expedite the installation of CCTV cameras in correctional facilities, including 275 cameras at Bikaner Central Jail and 60 at Jaipur District Jail, within a three-month period. It was revealed that a camera monitoring the cell of an undertrial prisoner, who died under questionable circumstances in Ajmer High Security Jail, had been offline just days before the incident.Additionally, the court emphasised the importance of stringent procedures for conducting surprise checks for contraband and maintaining accurate records of confiscations. It further instructed the state to address the need for additional prison guards, ensure compliance with Supreme Court wage guidelines for prisoners, and provide necessary sanitary facilities in women’s prisons.The court’s initiatives are aimed at mitigating the systemic issues plaguing the state’s prison infrastructure and safeguarding the rights and welfare of inmates, setting a precedent for enhanced accountability in prison management.
