New Delhi, Oct 2: The Supreme Court is set to announce its verdict on Thursday regarding a plea that highlights caste-based discrimination in the prison manuals of certain states. According to the court’s cause list for October 3, the judgement will be delivered by a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
The plea argues that some state prison manuals encourage discrimination by allocating prison work based on caste. In January, the apex court had sought responses from the Union government and 11 states, including Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, regarding these allegations.
The petitioner’s counsel had pointed out that jail manuals in several states discriminate against inmates by assigning tasks and deciding living arrangements based on their caste. The petition refers to the Kerala Prison Rules, which differentiate between habitual and reconvicted convicts, stating that those with a history of crimes such as robbery or dacoity should be separated from other prisoners.
Additionally, the plea cites the West Bengal Jail Code, which mandates that work inside prisons be designated according to caste. For instance, dominant castes are assigned to cooking duties, while sweeping work is reserved for individuals from certain marginalized castes.
In response to these claims, the court issued notices to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the relevant state governments. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was asked to assist the court in addressing the issues presented in the plea filed by Sukanya Shantha, a resident of Kalyan in Maharashtra.
The bench acknowledged the petitioner’s argument that despite amendments made to state prison manuals to align with the Union Home Ministry’s model prison manual, caste discrimination persists across various prisons.
The plea, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, aims to bring attention to the ongoing caste-based discrimination and to seek directions for the abolition of such practices. It stresses that these prison manuals are not only unconstitutional but also violate basic human rights, calling for them to be revised to reflect the principles of equality and dignity for all citizens.
The Supreme Court’s ruling will likely have significant implications for prison reforms and could set a precedent for ending caste-based discrimination within India’s criminal justice system.
