In a point of interest judgment conveyed on October 3, 2024, the Supreme Court of India tended to the dug in issue of caste-based segregation inside the Indian jail framework. The solicitor, Sukanya Shantha, brought to light a few hones in State jail manuals that outrightly abuse the Structure of India. At the heart of the case was a piece of composed by Shantha titled "From Isolation to Work, Manu's Caste Law Oversees the Indian Jail Framework," distributed in 2020. This article highlighted progressing caste-based isolation and oppressive hones in Indian detainment facilities that repudiate the sacred orders of correspondence and respect.
Key Perspectives of the Judgment
Caste-Based Segregation in Jails:
The solicitor, spoken to by Dr. S. Muralidhar, Senior Advocate, contended that numerous State jail manuals proceed to propagate hones that damage Articles 14 (Right to Balance), 15 (Disallowance of Segregation), 17 (Cancelation of Untouchability), 21 (Right to Life and Individual Freedom), and 23 (Denial of Constrained Work) of the Structure. These unlawful hones incorporate the division of manual labor based on caste, isolation of garisson huts, and arrangements that particularly target detainees from Denotified Tribes and so-called "routine guilty parties."
The petitioner also criticized the Model Prison Manual of 2016 for not going far enough in addressing various types of caste discrimination, aside from the issue of food segregation. The petitioner stated that the handbook cannot legitimately be deemed a "model" if it does not combat caste discrimination fully.
State Responses: In response to the petition, a number of States, notably West Bengal, declared that caste-based discrimination was no longer practiced in their custodial facilities and that measures were in progress to modify the discriminatory clauses in their prison manuals.
Moving Forward: Eradicating Discriminatory Practices
The Court provided critical directions, including the need for all States and Union Territories to revise their prison manuals and eliminate any discriminatory provisions. The judgment emphasized the need for legal service authorities to actively monitor and ensure that caste-based discrimination in prisons is eradicated. Moreover, the future of prison reforms should not just address physical conditions but should focus on institutional discrimination that continues to marginalize certain communities.
Conclusion
The Supreme Court's October 2024 judgment may be a point of reference within the fight against regulation caste-based segregation. It not only reaffirms the basic rights of balance and respect cherished within the Structure but moreover sends a solid message that segregation, indeed inside detainment facilities, will not be endured. Through this judgment, the Court has once once more situated itself as a gatekeeper of the rights of the marginalized, assisting the cause of social equity in India.
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TAGS: Supreme Court caste-based discrimination prisons equality dignity Constitution of India Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Article 14 Article 15 Article 17 Article 21 Article 23 Model Prison Manual Chief Justice Chandrachud Denotified Tribes.
