The Delhi High Court on Friday said it was mulling forming a committee to formulate guidelines on the issue of overcrowding of prisons, and the conditions of women and intellectually-disabled prisoners.
The court on Friday disposed of two related matters on grievances of inmates and undertrials, which had started after it took suo motu cognizance of the issue last year.
The Amicus Curiae in the matter has given a string of recommendations, which, the court said, will be considered by the committee so formed.
The court had last year taken suo motu cognizance of the sufferings of women undertrials, who had spent many years in Tihar waiting for their trial to commence.
The court had taken up the issue on a letter sent by a Supreme Court judge, who had received appeals from over 500 women prisoners who were inside Tihar for failing to secure bail while also complaining about over-crowding in jail.
The scope of the public interest litigation has since expanded to cover the conditions of not just women inmates, but also those who are intellectually-disabled.
The court had been critical of the conduct of jail authorities, who failed to implement the directions given by the Supreme Court on releasing of undertrials, other than those accused of heinous offences, who had spent over two years waiting for their trial.
