Mehta, J.
For clarity of exposition and to facilitate structured
consideration of the issues arising in the present
matter, this judgment has been organised under the
following heads: –
INDEX
I. PROLOGUE ……………………………………………………… 4
II. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………… 10
III. OVERVIEW OF THE WRIT PETITION AND
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THIS COURT …………………….. 12
IV. SUMMARY OF WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS AND
CONVENIENCE COMPILATIONS FILED BY THE AMICUS
CURIAE PURSUANT TO THIS COURT’S ORDER DATED
17TH MAY, 2024 ………………………………………………….. 24
A. AFFIDAVIT OF UNION OF INDIA …………………………………… 24
B. BEST PRACTICES IN THE MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE OF
OCIS ………………………………………………………………………… 25
C. BPR&D REPORT: SHORTCOMINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 28
D. METHODOLOGY ADOPTED BY THE AMICUS CURIAE REGARDING
DATA COLLECTION IN TERMS OF ORDER DATED 17TH MAY, 2024 32
E. QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS………………………………………….. 35
F. QUALITATIVE FINDINGS ……………………………………………. 40
V. INTERNATIONAL GUIDING PRINCIPLES ……………… 46
VI. DOMESTIC LEGAL FRAMEWORK RELEVANT TO THE
ISSUE AT HAND ………………………………………………….. 49
WRIT PETITION (C) NO(S). 1082 OF 2020
A. CHAPTER XXIII OF THE MODEL PRISON MANUAL, 2016 …. 49
B. MODEL PRISONS AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ACT, 2023 52
VII. CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK: RIGHT TO LIFE,
DIGNITY OF PRISONERS AND REHABILITATIVE JUSTICE
IN PRISONS ……………………………………………………….. 56
VIII. ANALYSIS AND CONSIDERATION …………………… 70
A. UNDER-UTILISATION OF EXISTING OCI FACILITIES AND ABSENCE OF
OCIS IN SEVERAL STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES ………………. 72
B. EXCLUSION AND UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN
PRISONERS FROM OCIS ………………………………………………… 77
C. STRICT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND INADEQUATE
REHABILITATIVE AVENUES WITHIN OCIS ……………………………. 86
D. LACK OF UNIFORMITY AND THE NEED FOR COMMON MINIMUM
STANDARDS FOR GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF OCIS ACROSS
STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES…………………………………….. 93
E. COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF OCIS VIS-À-VIS CLOSED PRISONS AND
THE IMPERATIVE FOR EXPANSION …………………………………….. 96
IX. OPERATIVE DIRECTIONS ……………………………….. 104
A. UNDER-UTILISATION OF EXISTING OCI FACILITIES AND ABSENCE OF
OCIS IN SEVERAL STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES …………………. 105
B. EXCLUSION AND UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN
PRISONERS FROM OCIS ………………………………………………. 110
C. STRICT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND INADEQUATE
REHABILITATIVE AVENUES WITHIN OCIS ………………………….. 113
D. LACK OF UNIFORMITY AND THE NEED FOR COMMON MINIMUM
STANDARDS FOR GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF OCIS ACROSS
STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES…………………………………… 118
E. EXPANSION OF OPEN CORRECTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE …. 127
F. COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING ……………………………….. 129
X. CONCLUSION ……………………………………………….. 134
WRIT PETITION (C) NO(S). 1082 OF 2020
“No one truly knows a nation until one has been
inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by
how it treats its highest citizens but its lowest
ones.”
