The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the city government and the Director General (DG) of Tihar Jail on a petition seeking directions to appoint one law officer each in 16 jails of the Capital.

A Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A.J. Bhambhani listed the case for further hearing on August 29.

The petition, filed by advocate Amit Sahni, alleged that despite the Delhi Prisons Act, 2000 mandating that there shall be a law officer in every prison, at present, there is only one law officer for all 16 jails of the State who is stationed at prison headquarters at Tihar here.

There are 16 jails in the State – nine at Tihar prison complex, one at Rohini prison complex and six at the Mandoli prison complex.

Section 6 of Delhi Prisons Act, 2000 provides that every prison shall have a superintendent, a deputy superintendent, a medical officer, a law officer, a welfare officer and such other officers as the government thinks is necessary.

The petition claimed that from August 2016 to February 2019, no law officer was appointed at the prison headquarters and the legal affairs were dealt with by an officer equivalent to the rank of a Deputy Superintendent.

“There are 16 jails in Delhi and law officer [headquarters] is looking after legal matters of all 16 jails, including legal work pertaining to the headquarters. The legal work cannot be handed over to officer with ad hoc arrangement,” the plea said.