The Bombay High Court. (File) While directing the state prison authorities to abide by the new standard operating procedures (SOPs) recommended by the high-powered committee in regard to decongesting jails in light of the second wave of Covid-19, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to expeditiously fill up vacant posts of medical officers and staffers in correctional homes and jail hospitals. The court also asked the prison authorities to follow the Union government’s SOP on vaccinating inmates, including those not having Aadhaar cards.
A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish S Kulkarni was hearing a suo motu PIL filed based on news reports highlighting the alarming rise in Covid-19 cases in the last two months in Maharashtra prisons.
Noting that as per the state’s reply, nearly one-third of posts of medical officers across Maharashtra jails were lying vacant, the court said that while all prisons should have requisite and able medical staff, the state’s reply was “absolutely silent” on the issue.
“We are not asking you to increase the number of sanctioned posts. At least fill up the existing posts. Already one year of pandemic is over and you cannot depend on already burdened state-run hospitals,” it added.
The court will hear the matter next on May 19.
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