Chandigarh, January 15
Taking on record a news-item and analysis on overcrowding and rioting in the Jalandhar jail carried in these columns on January 8, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled urgent steps are required to be taken for dealing with the problem of congestion in the prisons.

Expressing its disapproval of the action so far taken by the authorities concerned in this regard, the Bench, comprising Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia, also held the incident could have been avoided had the authorities “woken up from slumber”.

The Bench also directed the filing of a comprehensive affidavit “giving details as to how the state of Punjab is taking up the matter for providing adequate infrastructure and additional capacities to the existing jails; and the time frame in which the same could be achieved”.

Issuing the directions in an open court, the Bench observed: “The Jalandhar incident should open the eyes of the administration. Urgent steps should be taken to deal with the problem of over-population of inmates, convicts as well as under-trials; and regarding the facilities which are provided in jails in the whole of the state of Punjab”.

The Bench also observed: “In the status report filed, it has been stated that a new jail with a capacity of 2,500 inmates in an area of 72 acres is being built in the Kapurthala district jurisdiction. It is stated that the architectural design has been finalised and the structural design is under finalisation.

In it’s detailed order, the Bench added: “We cannot appreciate such a slow pace. The state administration should quicken its response to the gravity of the situation. Active steps should be initiated in this regard and the latest report be also furnished. Going into the background of the matter, the Judges observed: “This court, on its own motion, had taken cognisance regarding the overcrowding of inmates and the conditions in the jails at Jalandhar and Ludhiana.

“We have noticed from the newspaper report in The Tribune dated January 8, 2008, wherein it was mentioned that the rioting in the Jalandhar jail took place and the prisoners were injured as the police resorted to firing to regain control. “The Tribune of the same date has also carried a news-analysis regarding the firing incident and has observed that 1,391 prisoners are lodged against the capacity of 500.

The news analysis also mentions endeavour made by this court to initiate corrective measures. Both the newspaper-items are taken on record”. The Bench added: “In case prior to the firing incident, which occurred in the Jalandhar jail, as reported in the newspaper-items, had the authorities woken up from their slumber, pursuant to our order dated October 30, 2007, issuing a notice on our own, with regard to the condition of the jails, the incident may have been avoided. However, no remedial measures were taken”. Before parting with the orders, the Judges fixed February 29 as the date for further hearing.