The Allahabad High Court has taken a significant step towards prison reform. In a suo motu Public Interest Litigation, the court has ordered a team of lawyers to visit the Model Jail in Lucknow to assess the skills and abilities of convicts serving the sentence.The team's task will be to assess the skills and abilities of the inmates to explore opportunities for them to contribute financially to their families while incarcerated.A division bench comprising Justice Attau Rahman Masoodi and Justice Brij Raj Singh ordered that a detailed exercise is expected to be undertaken by the team. "...so as to figure out the respective skills and other capabilities possessed by the aforesaid people in jail," said the bench. The bench suggested that the team could propose a reformative mechanism for the convicts in jail. "The suggestions made by the team and the learned counsel appearing in the matter shall be taken into account for issuing necessary directions when the case is listed next," it ordered. In February this year, the high court re-titled a 1998 PIL as a suo moto PIL for the welfare of the convicts and their dependent family members.The decision was taken to ascertain the impact of incarceration upon the dependent family members at large and to look at the limited area of personal liberty of the convicts themselves.Court had then appointed Advocate S.M. Royekwar as amicus curiae to assist the court.On March 29, Alok Singh, Jailor, Model Jail, Lucknow informed the high court that as on date there are 232 convicts incarcerated in the jail and all of them are men whose age range from 25 to 45 years of age.To this, the bench said, "We should not be oblivious of the fact that the cluster of young people incarcerated in Model Jail, Lucknow may be possessed with the skills at variance, education and other capabilities of distinction, which may be utilised for their own self-sustenance and financial support to their families too".Therefore, court ordered formation of a team of young lawyers to visit the jail and perform a study. Court sought a report on record before the next date of listing.The case will be next heard in the last week of April.Case Title: Ishtiaq Hasan Khan v. State of U.P. (Suo Moto PIL for the welfare of the convicts and their dependent family members in U.P. versus State of U.P. through Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Government of U.P.)
TAGS: Allahabad High Court prison reform suo motu PIL Model Jail Lucknow convicts inmate skills financial contribution dependent family members
