The apex court on Tuesday (Jan 22) directed the Chief Secretaries of all the States to personally appear and submit their inputs on the conditions of jails across the country within three weeks.

At today’s hearing, the Ministry of Home Affairs submitted the affidavit before the bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justices L Nageswara Rao, Sanjeev Khanna mentioning that various States have been asked to give suggestions and information on the conditions of jails.

The matter was posted for next hearing to Feb 13.

The court was hearing a petition raising concern over inhuman conditions in 1,382 prisons across the country.

During previous hearings, the court had expressed dismay on overcrowding of jails observing that prisoners were being denied basic dignity and human rights and cannot be kept like animals.

—India Legal Bureau