The Supreme Court is set to deliver its verdict on Thursday regarding a plea that alleges caste-based discrimination in the prison manuals of several Indian states.
According to the cause list for October 3 on the apex court’s website, a bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will announce the judgment.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and 11 states, including Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, after hearing submissions from the petitioner’s counsel.
The plea claims that the jail manuals in these states discriminate in work allocation within prisons, often determining inmates’ placements based on caste.
The petition references the Kerala Prison Rules, which distinguish between habitual and re-convicted offenders, suggesting that habitual criminals like robbers and thieves should be classified separately. It also notes that the West Bengal Jail Code assigns prison work based on caste, stipulating that cooking is reserved for dominant castes while sweeping duties fall to specific lower castes.
Previously, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and other parties, asking Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist with the issues raised by the petitioner, Sukanya Shantha, a resident of Kalyan in Maharashtra.
The bench acknowledged the petitioner’s argument that, despite amendments aligning state manuals with model guidelines from the Union Home Ministry, caste discrimination remains prevalent in state prisons.
The plea states, “This petition is filed in public interest under Article 32 of the Constitution of India to highlight the ongoing enforcement of rules and practices in various state prison manuals that are rooted in caste-based discrimination.”
It seeks appropriate directions to align such manuals and practices with constitutional principles.
