NGO issues notice to government over decongestion of prisons

A city-based non-governmental organisation has sent a legal notice to Maharashtra government alleging undue delay in implementing the Supreme Court directive of

A city-based non-governmental organisation has sent a legal notice to Maharashtra government alleging undue delay in implementing the Supreme Court directive of March 23, instructing all state governments to decongest prisons amid coronavirus pandemic.

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The NGO, Global Care Foundation, has issued the notice through its counsel, advocate Tanveer NizamNizam. It states that pursuant to the Supreme Court directives, the Maharashtra Legal Services Authority on March 27 asked the state government to identify the under-trial prisoners and convicts lodged in jails across Maharashtra, who fulfil the criteria set out by the apex court.

However, the NGO has complained, the state prison authorities have not acted with the required sense of urgency and till date, only 1,000 prisoners have been released from Maharashtra prisons, though about 11,000 prisoners in state jails are entitled to be released under the Supreme Court order.

“In the light of the present situation of the outbreak of Covid-19, there is an immense urgency to depopulate and de-congest the prisons as the progress of the disease is increasing rapidly, besides, there is absolutely no facility for social distancing in prison cells, across Maharashtra,” states the notice issued by advocate Nizam.

Despite the impending danger to the lives of the inmates, there is a lack of urgency on part of prison authorities, it adds.

The NGO has urged Maharashtra home department and the prison authorities to release the prisoners entitled to be released under the apex court order dated March 23 be immediately released on cash bail or sureties extending up to ₹5,000 each. It has also offered to provide free legal aid to these prisoners and has sought the list of the eligible prisoners from the home department.