Delhi High Court proposes law officer for 16 city correctionals

Source: newindianexpress.com

Appearing for the Delhi government, Standing Counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra said the Director-General of Prisons has been consulted and the process of appointment of law officers will be set in motion

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court suggested on Thursday the appointment of law officers on contractual basis in the 16 jails of the national capital for their better administration and smooth functioning.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said a public interest litigation (PIL), seeking appointment of one law officer in each of the 16 jails of the national capital in a time-bound manner, was a “good” issue and asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to look into the matter.

Appearing for the Delhi government, Standing Counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra said the Director-General of Prisons has been consulted and the process of appointment of law officers will be set in motion soon.

He told the high court that there are 16 jails in the state — nine at the Tihar prison complex, one at the Rohini prison complex and six at the Mandoli prison complex.

The lawyer said that selection of law officers through Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board may take time. The AAP government sought time to file response to the PIL and the court posted the matter for hearing on September 27.

The petition, filed by advocate Amit Sahni, had alleged that despite the Delhi Prisons Act, 2000, mandating that there shall be a law officer in every prison, there is only one law officer for the 16 jails in the national capital. The lone officer is stationed at the prison headquarters at Tihar.

It had also claimed that from August 2016 to February 2019, no law officer was appointed at the prison headquarters.

Section 6 of the Delhi Prisons Act, 2000, provides that every prison shall have a superintendent, a deputy superintendent, a medical officer, a law officer, a welfare officer and other officers as the government may deem fit.