The Gauhati High Court has issued a stern directive to the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh, demanding they submit comprehensive affidavits detailing their response to a recent inspection report that highlighted critical concerns regarding the condition of various central and district jails within their jurisdictions.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kaushik Goswami, emphasized the imperative for each state to file an affidavit outlining the specific actions taken to implement the recommendations put forth by the inspection committee.
The court further mandated that the states clearly indicate whether any recommendations remain unimplemented and provide a definitive timeline for their enforcement.
The court’s directive stemmed from an affidavit filed by the Registrar General on August 20th, which included an inspection report prepared by a committee comprising officials from the Assam State Legal Services Authority and the prison departments of Guwahati and Jorhat. This report painted a concerning picture of the state of jails across the four states, outlining numerous shortcomings and proposing crucial recommendations for improvement.
Notably, the court observed that none of the four states had submitted a response to the aforementioned affidavit. In light of this, the bench issued a firm order, directing all states to file their respective affidavits before the next hearing scheduled for January 29, 2025.
“By that time, the affidavits on behalf of all the four States shall be filed without fail,” the court stated unequivocally. The states are expected to provide detailed responses and furnish updates on the measures being implemented to address the critical issues raised in the inspection report.
