key issues in Odisha’s prisons

key issues in Odisha’s prisons

Issues Related to Prisons in India:

Fundamental rights of prisoners:

Article 21 -  guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.

Article 39A -  ensures free legal aid for those in need.

Key issues in Indian prisons: 

Prison conditions in India face several critical challenges that impact inmates’ rights and welfare. These include –

Overcrowding:

Currently, prisons in India operate at 117% capacity, primarily due to a high number of under-trial prisoners.

The SC has emphasised the right to speedy justice under Article 21 of the Constitution, but many cases remain unresolved.

Unhygienic conditions: 

Many inmates lack access to proper medical facilities. Female prisoners often do not receive adequate sanitary products and basic health services.

Custodial torture: 

Despite the 1986 DK Basu judgement prohibiting torture, reports of custodial violence continue, with increasing cases of custodial deaths

.

Delays in trials: 

Lengthy legal processes disrupt prison administration and prolong inmates’ suffering. 

Challenges for women prisoners: 

The number of female inmates is rising, but they often face inadequate facilities. There is also a lack of dedicated women’s prisons 

 key issues  

report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) 

• Overcrowding, 
• 
  
• congested living conditions, 
• 
  
• inadequate bathing spaces, 
• 
  
• not enough guards 
• 
  
• lack of essential security equipment were among key issues in Odisha’s prisons, a .

The report, tabled in the state Assembly on Tuesday

overcrowded 

said that as many as 31 of 87 jails in Odisha were overcrowded.

 “Availability of less space per inmate led to congested living conditions for the prisoners. 

Such prisoners were deprived of the standard requisite space for sleeping and basic living conditions, as per the norms,” read the report.

a small room  for bathing  

Even as the Odisha model jail manual mandates covered cubicles / a small room  for bathing at a rate of one for every 10 prisoners, and proper arrangements to ensure privacy,

 the CAG findings showed that against a requirement of 2,203 bathing units, only 916 were actually available.

open pindis, or platforms 

In some prisons, women inmates were using open pindis, or platforms, to take a bath.

Inadequate bathing spaces/toilets in jails deprived prisoners of their basic needs of sanitary living conditions, and instances of open bathing spaces for women inmates raised concerns regarding their privacy, the CAG report said.

While 3,515 staff were required 

in one shift to guard the prisons, the audit report said the government sanctioned only 1,680 posts, against which only 1,282 guarding staff were in position, leading to a deficiency of 2,233 staff.

essential security equipment 

In the audit, the CAG also found that essential security equipment required for safe and secure jail administration was either not available or not operational. 

door frame metal detectors 

As the CAG verified security essentials in 15 jails, it said door frame metal detectors were absent in four jails. 

baggage scanners

 

Similarly, out of 7 baggage scanners available in the 15 test-checked jails, only one baggage scanner was operational. 

Also, the mobile jammers 

available in some jails were not in working condition.

Due to the absence of security equipment

 prisoners could not be scanned during admission to the prisons, especially for the purposes of detecting the possession of inadmissible items, said the audit report.

46 search operations conducted in 2020-23 

in the special jail in Bhubaneswar, authorities seized 

• 74 mobile phones, 
• 56 SIM cards, 
• one pen drive, 
• 26 empty liquor bottles, 
• and 1.76 kg of ganja.

Lack of adequate guarding staff and security 

essentials also led to prisoners escaping from jails, the report said,

pointing out that there were 29 such incidents during the audit period of 2020-23. Out of the 29, 17 were recaptured, but 12 are out.

inadequate healthcare facilities  

The CAG audit also found inadequate healthcare facilities for prisoners, including a 

• shortage of beds 
• 
  
• and clinical facilities. 

It further pointed out that inmates with psychiatric issues were kept with other prisoners instead of in mental health institutions or other places of safe custody.

source indian express