Gauhati HC directs Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal to address jail conditions  

The Gauhati High Court has instructed Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh to submit comprehensive affidavits addressing concerns raised in a recent inspection report on the condition of various central and district jails in these states.  

A division bench, led by Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kaushik Goswami, emphasised that the states must file their affidavits detailing the actions taken in response to the recommendations made by the inspection committee.

The court also specified that the states must clarify if the recommendations have not yet been implemented and provide a timeline for their enforcement.  

The court referenced an affidavit filed by the Registrar General of the High Court on August 20, which included an inspection report compiled by a committee consisting of officials from the Assam State Legal Services Authority and the prison departments of Guwahati and Jorhat. The report highlighted unsatisfactory conditions in the jails across the four states and outlined several recommendations for improvements.  

The court noted that none of the four states had yet responded to the affidavit. As a result, the bench ordered the states to file their respective affidavits before the next hearing on January 29, 2025.  

"By that time, the affidavits on behalf of all the four States be filed positively," the court stated. The states are expected to provide detailed responses and updates on the measures being taken to address the issues raised.