The Supreme Court Today (July 10th) reserved its verdict in petition by a journalist claiming that prison manuals in several States encourage caste discrimination in jails. During the hearing today, CJI Chandrachud highlighted the importance of altering what happens on the ground since instructions by States to not indulge in such practices are not always followed.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a petition filed by journalist Sukanya Shantha, which alleges that prison manuals in several states promote caste discrimination within jails.
During the hearing, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized the necessity of bringing about real changes on the ground. The Bench pointed out that despite state instructions to avoid such discriminatory practices, these guidelines are often ignored in practice.
“Ground reality has to be altered. We will hold (people) responsible in our judgment,”
-the CJI remarked.
The top court had earlier, in January, issued notices to the Union government and eleven states regarding this matter.
The bench had acknowledged the severity of the issue raised and requested Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta’s assistance.
According to the plea submitted by journalist Sukanya Shantha, caste-based discrimination in prison barracks also extends to the assignment of manual labor, particularly affecting denotified tribes and those labeled as habitual offenders.
The petition seeks the repeal of discriminatory provisions found in the prison manuals of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Odisha, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
Senior Advocate Dr. S Muralidhar, along with advocates Prasanna S and Disha Wadekar, represented the petitioner during the proceedings. Additionally, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati provided assistance to the Court in this matter.
CASE TITLE:
Sukanya Shantha vs Union of India and ors.
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