Supreme Court Ends Caste Discrimination in Indian Prisons
The Supreme Court of India has made a landmark decision to end caste-based discrimination in prisons, declaring it unconstitutional. The court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, directed the removal of caste references in prison records and called for changes in the Model Prison Manual 2016 and the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act 2023 within three months.
The court emphasized the need for an institutional approach to address discrimination against marginalized communities. It declared that practices assigning tasks based on caste violate Article 15 of the Constitution. The court also declared references to “habitual offenders” in prison manuals unconstitutional unless aligned with state legislation.
The Union government must circulate the judgment to all states and Union territories within three weeks. The court also directed regular inspections to identify discriminatory practices in prisons and asked for compliance reports from states and the Union government.
The petition, filed by journalist Sukanya Shantha, highlighted cases of caste-based segregation in prisons. The plea sought to challenge discriminatory provisions in prison manuals and called for their alignment with constitutional provisions.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and rights in the country.
Caste Discrimination -: Caste discrimination is unfair treatment of people based on their caste, which is a social group they are born into. In India, this has been a big issue for many years.
Unconstitutional -: When something is unconstitutional, it means it goes against the rules set by the Constitution of India, which is the highest law of the land.
Model Prison Manual 2016 -: The Model Prison Manual 2016 is a set of guidelines for how prisons in India should be run. It helps ensure that prisons operate fairly and safely.
Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act 2023 -: This is a law that provides rules and guidelines for managing prisons and correctional services in India. It aims to improve the prison system.
Systemic Discrimination -: Systemic discrimination refers to unfair treatment that is built into the systems and structures of society, affecting many people over time.
Sukanya Shantha -: Sukanya Shantha is a journalist who writes about important social issues. She filed the petition to stop caste discrimination in prisons.
