New Delhi, May 14 (H.S.): The Delhi High Court has refused to hear a petition related to the overcrowding of inmates in Tihar Jail. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay directed the petitioner to approach the competent authority regarding the matter.

During the hearing, the High Court stated that the Supreme Court is already considering issues related to overcrowding in jails. The court noted that the petitioner had submitted a report to the central government on this matter, but the central government does not have the authority over Tihar Jail and other jails in Delhi. Following this, the High Court asked the petitioner to present their case before the Delhi government.

The petition was filed by Anand Tiwari. It claimed that the excessive number of inmates in jail violated the fundamental rights of prisoners under Article 21 of the Constitution. It argued that a higher number of prisoners infringes upon their right to a peaceful and dignified life.

Previously, the High Court had also refused to hear a similar petition in December 2022. In 2022, the NGO Justice Foundation had filed a petition stating that unnecessary arrests had led to overcrowding in jails. Innocent individuals who are arrested are compelled to contemplate suicide upon witnessing the conditions inside the jail. Despite numerous directives from the Supreme Court, unnecessary arrests have not been curbed.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar