In Brief
The Supreme Court held that Indian prisons' chronic overcrowding violates prisoners' dignity rights under Article 21. The Court found that Open Correctional Institutions (OCIs)—facilities offering graded liberty and rehabilitation instead of strict confinement—are substantially under-utilised despite being far more cost-effective than closed prisons. The judgment directs states to establish or expand OCIs, ensure equal access for women prisoners, adopt less stringent eligibility criteria, and develop common minimum standards for prison governance nationwide. A high-powered committee was constituted to formulate uniform standards, and monitoring mechanisms were established to ensure compliance, emphasising that reformation and dignity must be central to penology.
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