In Brief

This public interest litigation petition, initiated by correspondence from a former Chief Justice concerning prison conditions, addresses systemic failures in India's prison system: overcrowding, unnatural prisoner deaths, staff inadequacy, and insufficient training. The Court examined the constitutional validity of public interest litigation as a mechanism for social reform and held it to be a legitimate instrument for enforcing Article 21 rights when the State fails to provide adequate governance. The Court appointed an expert committee to review and coordinate prison reform across guidelines, training protocols, and implementation by States and Union Territories, directing recommendations within 12 months.

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