Munmun Kaur
Published On: December 24, 2021 at 14:05 IST
Orissa High Court asked the High Power Committee to consider whether the return of the prisoners granted special Parole amidst the pandemic be staggered or deferred till the time measures are taken to decongest the Jails.
The High Power Committee was formed in pursuance of the directions given by the Supreme Court to deal with the issue of decongestion of Jails. The Committee constitutes a High Court judge who is the executive chairperson of Odisha State Legal Services Authority, Principal Secretary Home Department, and Director General Prisons.
To deal with the congestion of Jails amid the pandemic the Committee granted special Parole to 747 convicts.
The High Court while adjudicating a PIL on the problems in Jails of Odisha observed that with the Covid situation changing there is a likelihood of Prisoners granted special Parole to return to Prisons which will further compound the problem of overcrowding in the Jails.
The Court in its order also noted that out of 87 Prisons in the State, 48 are overcrowded. The Bench has fixed March 08, 2022, as the next date for hearing. The Court also directed the DG Prisons to file an Affidavit before the next hearing regarding the measures put in place for the effective reduction of the population in Prison.