Rights of prisoners and role of higher judiciary in humanizing Indian prisons: a critique

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15175/1984-2503-202315106

Keywords:

prisoners, human rights, higher Judiciary, Supreme Court of India

Abstract

The prison has remained an ignored area for long time. The rights of the prisoners have also remained neglected for a very long time. Though there were various cases dealt by the India’s higher judiciary relating to rights of prisoners yet the same has remained obscured as the mainstream media does not cover the news related to prisoners’ rights until some celebrity is involved. In this paper, it is attempted to analyze the rights of the prisoners as recognized by the international law. The paper also analyses the role played by Indian higher judiciary in humanizing the prisons through various case laws in the context of the rights available to prisoners. This paper makes an analysis of the role of India’s Higher Judiciary in making the prisons a place where a prisoner can be treated and made fit to re-enter the society after release to lead an honest life. There have been many areas of challenges wherein the Courts have contributed to its improvement through its decisions and guidelines.

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Author Biographies

Swati Kumari Mawandiya, Nirma University, 4GHV+2VV, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481

Assistant Professor of Law, Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat,  Nirma University, India. & Ph.D. Candidate at Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, India

Neeraj Kumar Gupta, Nirma University, 4GHV+2VV, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481

Corresponding Author and Assistant Professor of Law, Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Received the doctorate degree from University of Delhi, he is currently teaching the undergraduate and post graduate students of criminal law and allied areas. He has also guided various post graduate dissertations in the areas of criminal laws.

References

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INDIA. Lok Sabha Secretariat. Prison reforms in India. Delhi, July 2017. Available at: http://parliamentlibraryindia.nic.in/writereaddata/Library/Reference%20Notes/Prison_reforms_in_India.pdf. Accessed on: Apr. 22, 2022.

PANDEY, Bhupendra B. Human rights of prisoners. In: VIBHUTE, K. I. (Ed.). Criminal justice: a human rights perspective of the criminal justice process in India. Lucknow: Eastern Book Company, 2004. p.327–335.

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UNITED NATIONS. General Assembly. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. United Nations, Treaty Series, v. 999, p. 171, Dec. 16, 1966a. Available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3aa0.html. Accessed on: Apr. 22, 2022.

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UNITED NATIONS. General Assembly. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules): resolution / adopted by the General Assembly. A/RES/70/175, Jan. 8, 2016. Available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5698a3a44.html. Accessed on: Apr. 22, 2022.

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Published

2023-02-10

How to Cite

Mawandiya, S. K., & Gupta, N. K. (2023). Rights of prisoners and role of higher judiciary in humanizing Indian prisons: a critique. Passages: International Review of Political History and Legal Culture, 15(1), 106-126. https://doi.org/10.15175/1984-2503-202315106

Issue

Vol. 15 - Nº 1 - Janeiro a Abril (2023)

Section

Articles

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