No attempt be made to reduce area of open air prisons functioning in country, says SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed that there shall be no attempt to reduce the area of open air prisons functioning in the country.

Semi-open or open prisons allow convicts to work outside the premises during the day to earn a livelihood and return in the evening.

The concept was introduced to assimilate the convicts with society and reduce psychological pressure as they faced difficulties in leading normal lives outside.

A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta noted advocate K Parameshwar, assisting it as an amicus curiae in a matter related to jails and prisoners, submitted that a model draft manual has been prepared by the Centre wherein the nomenclature “open correctional institutions” was used for open air camps/institutions/prisons.

“We further direct the (Union) Ministry of Home Affairs to present a status report on recent developments in respect of the open correctional institutions after coming of the Model Prison Manual, 2016, and the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023,” the bench said in its order passed on May 17.

The bench noted it has been informed that there is a proposal to reduce the area at Sanganer open air camp in Jaipur.

“We thus direct that there shall be no attempt of reduction in area of open air camps/institutions/prisons, wherever they are functioning,” the bench said.

“The data put on record, wherein such open correctional institutions are shown to be functioning in different names, would further show that the said institutions are not being utilised to their optimum capacity,” it said.