The Chhattisgarh High Court recently heard a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Shivraj Singh, seeking directions to the state government to improve the conditions of prisons in Chhattisgarh.
The court has been monitoring the progress made by the state government in addressing the issues faced by the prisons.
The Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Chhattisgarh, filed an affidavit stating that several measures have been taken to improve the conditions of prisons in the state.
The affidavit highlighted the increase in the prisoner capacity of jails, construction of new barracks, and improvement in medical facilities.
The state government has also taken steps to provide better facilities to prisoners, including the provision of clean drinking water, toilets, and dispensaries.
However, the court expressed concern over the overcrowding in prisons and the lack of a specific timeline for the construction of new jails.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad directed the Director General of Prisons to file a fresh affidavit specifying the timeline for the construction of new jails and providing details about the measures taken to control unnatural deaths in prisons.
The court also noted that despite the improvements made, there are still several issues that need to be addressed.
The court hopes that the state government will take necessary steps to ensure that the facilities provided to prisoners are in line with the standards set by the Supreme Court.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 16, 2025.
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