HC orders disability audit of Delhi prisons

The Delhi High Court today directed a disability audit of all jails in the national capital where several differently-abled prisoners are lodged.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also directed the Director General of Prisons to organise a training module to sensitise all officials in the jails on the issue of making prisons disabled friendly.
The bench noted that jails in Delhi are housing thousands of prisoners, some of whom are suffering from disabilities, and several prison officials suffering from temporary disabilities.
It said that the authorities have not brought anything before it on the facilities available in jails for disabled persons.

"There is no dispute that prisons need to be disabled friendly. The Director General of Prisons shall ensure that the jails in Delhi meet the disability needs of prisoners and jail officials," the bench said.
It said the Director General of Prisons shall nominate a senior officer to facilitate the disability audit in all the jails in Delhi to be undertaken by Nipun Malhotra who has also a separate petition seeking directions to make the capital's roads, government offices and public transport friendly for the disabled people.
Presently, there are three prisons in Delhi -- Tihar Jail in west Delhi, Rohini Jail in northwest Delhi and Mandoli Jail in east Delhi.

The bench was hearing a plea on rise in death rate of inmates at Tihar Jail and the allegations of torture.