In a bid to improve the conditions of jails in India, the apex court on Tuesday constituted a committee headed by former SC judge Amitava Roy to ascertain the prevailing conditions in prisons all over the country and suggest measures to improve it.

A bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said the committee will examine the issues in prisons including over-crowding, unnatural death of prisoners, inadequacy of prison staff and present staff not being adequately or properly trained.

The bench was hearing a plea raising concern on various issues faced by 1382 prisons in India.

On the previous hearing on Aug 27, the bench had reserved its decision whether to form a committee to deal with issues relating to prison reforms across the country and suggest measures.

—India Legal Bureau