Ranchi, Nov 27 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday directed the chairpersons of all District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) in the state to conduct surprise inspections of jails to assess the quality of food provided to inmates.
A division bench of Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad and Arun Kumar Rai, while hearing a criminal appeal, ordered the DLSA chairpersons and secretaries to inspect whether the food served to prisoners complies with the guidelines of the jail manual.
The directives were passed in a criminal appeal filed by one Akash Kumar Roy.
The bench in its order has observed that the food given to the inmates and its quality has to be maintained in terms of the guidelines of the jail manual.
Any irregularity or deviation from the jail manual for the food provided to inmates will render the jailor of the respective jail responsible, it said.
Such officers shall be subject to departmental proceedings, the court observed.
Birsa Munda Central Jail superintendent Sudarshan Murmu and jailer Laukush Kumar were present in the court during the proceedings.
The duo assured the court that the quality of food has improved and is being served as per the jail manual.
The court was also informed by the government that a committee has been prepared to run the canteen in the jail.
The bench granted permission to the committee to run the canteen under the supervision of the jailor.
The high court ordered all DLSA officers in the state to conduct visits in jails located in their respective districts.
The court has sought for a report from the DLSAs in this matter.
The next date of hearing has been fixed on December 11. PTI CORR NAM MNB
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