Prisoners have human rights, can't be kept in jails like animals: SC

The Supreme Court today took strong exception to over-crowded jails in the country and said that "prisoners also have human rights and they cannot be kept in jail like animals".

The top court said that many of prisoners are lodged in jail because they have got bail but could not furnish sureties while some are lodged in jails for petty offences, who could have got bail long back.

"It's unfortunate that the prisons are over-crowded. Prisoners also have human rights and they cannot be kept in jails like animals," a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

It said, "Some of the jail inmates have got bail but they cannot be released as they cannot furnish sureties. Some are lodged in jail for petty offences under which they should have got bail long back."
The top court said, "What's the point in talking about prison reforms when we cannot keep them in jail. We should release them, if you cannot keep them properly."