4 more central prisons will be set up: State to Karnataka High Court

Bengaluru: The state government on Wednesday informed the Karnataka High Court that it is setting up four more central prisons in Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Hassan and Bidar with a capacity of 1,000 inmates each.

Funds have been released for the construction of prisons in Mangaluru and Bengaluru, while further steps are being taken, the government said.

After the submissions, the court adjourned the suo motu matter by four weeks, allowing the government advocate to file a further affidavit.

The High Court was hearing the case following recent directions of the Supreme Court, which had expressed concerns about overcrowding in prisons across the country and asked high courts to consider the issue on priority as it involves violation of human rights.

The apex court had asked the chief justices of high courts to take up the matter suo motu.

It appears from the note given by the amicus curiae that the issue of overcrowding in prisons is not being taken seriously by the prison authorities. There are several prisons where the overcrowding is well beyond 100 per cent and in some cases it exceeds 150 per cent,” the SC had observed.

The SC had made strong observations that prisoners also have human rights and cannot be kept in jails like animals.