The Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for a status report from Punjab and Haryana on unnatural deaths of prisoners, poor health facilities and other conditions in jails. The court has ordered all parties to file fresh status reports by January 16.

The Supreme Court, while disposing of a petition filed regarding the poor condition of prisoners in jails, had ordered all the High Courts of the country to take cognizance of this matter.

The Supreme Court had said in its order that there should be a hearing for reforms in the jails falling under the jurisdiction of all the High Courts. Expressing concern, the court had said that cases of unnatural death of many prisoners are coming to light in jails. The conditions in the jails are such that many prisoners are even committing suicide due to this.

Therefore, their families should be given appropriate compensation. Apart from this, the Supreme Court had said that it has realized that even the minimum health facilities are not being provided to the prisoners in the jails whereas health facilities are the right of everyone.

The Supreme Court had said that there is a need to improve the environment of jails. Just changing the name of the jail to a correctional home does not change anything, but it is important to see improvements in the jails as well. The concept of open jail has been successful to a great extent in Shimla and Delhi.

Therefore work should be done in this direction. On the instructions of the Supreme Court, the High Court has ordered Punjab and Haryana to file a status report in this case.