In Brief

A public interest petition raised concerns about inhuman conditions in India's 1382 prisons, including overcrowding, inadequate staff, untrained personnel, and unnatural deaths. The Court held that prisoners retain fundamental rights under Article 21, including dignity, despite incarceration. The judgment established binding mechanisms: quarterly Under Trial Review Committees in every district, implementation of Sections 436 and 436A of the CrPC to release eligible undertrial prisoners, effective legal aid coordination through District Legal Services Committees, a Management Information System for prison management, and adoption of the revised Model Prison Manual 2016. The Court directed annual reviews and specifically addressed the plight of poor prisoners unable to afford bail. The case affirmed that prison reform is not optional but a constitutional imperative rooted in human dignity.

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