Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Rights issues, Issue: Prisons
Context: States and UTs told to remove discriminatory provisions in Prison Manuals by the Ministry of Home Affairs( MHA).
Gist:
- The Constitution of India, Articles 14 to 18, prohibited any kind of discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, place of birth etc.
- The Model Prison Manual, 2016, explicitly prohibited caste and religion-based discrimination of prisoners.
Model Prison Manual, 2016:
- Published by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Outlines guidelines to bring more uniformity to prison regulations for the administration of prisons and the treatment of prisoners .
- It is not a binding law, but rather a set of guidelines .
| Prelims Connect:Â Prisons is a subject under state list, hence states have exclusive powers to make laws related.
+1 Advantage for Mains (Data Point): Overcrowding of prisons: The prisons in India are overcrowded to the extent of 131.4%. Causes: 1.     Inadequate infrastructure, 2.    Lengthy period of pre-trial detention. Of the total prison population, under trial prisoners constitute 75.8%. 3.    Strict sentencing practices without the provision of fine and community service. |
