Petitions demand prisoners out on bail or parole be vaccinated
What's the story
The Delhi/delhi-high-court'>Delhi High Court on Monday sought response of the Delhi Government on two pleas by March 26, seeking vaccination of all the prisoners who were out on bail or parole before they surrender so as to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection inside prisons. It has also asked the AAP Government to take action on the issue immediately. Here are the details.
High Court's remarks
Court raised doubts over the intention of the pleas
A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh directed the Delhi Government to indicate in its affidavit the steps it has taken and what it proposes to take. The court also remarked that the pleas appeared to be an excuse to keep the prisoners who were out on bail, parole, or furlough, out for a longer duration.
Information
Everything is under control: Delhi Government counsel
The standing counsel (criminal) of the Delhi Government, Rahul Mehra assured the bench that there was nothing to worry about as everything is under control. He also told the court that there has been "no outbreak of COVID-19 in the jails."
Details
Number of inmates in three prisons beyond capacity
The two petitions have claimed that as of January 14, there were 16,396 inmates in the three Delhi prisons which together have a capacity of 10,026 and therefore, there wasn't sufficient space for maintaining social distancing. They have contended that with more prisoners scheduled to surrender in the coming days, there may not be sufficient space to keep them in quarantine for 14 days.
Petition
One petition has been filed by a murder convict
One petition has been moved by a 63-year-old murder convict who is serving life imprisonment. In her plea, filed through advocate Amit Sahni, she has sought that all prisoners, particularly those above 60 years, who were out on bail, parole, or furlough be vaccinated before their surrender, She also sought the vaccination of jail staff, and security persons lodged in prisons in Delhi.
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Another plea has been moved by four lawyers
A similar plea has also been moved by four lawyers - advocates Abhilasha Shrawat, Prabhash, Kartik Malhotra, and Manav Narula - seeking directions to the Delhi Government to arrange and facilitate COVID-19 vaccination to all the prisoners who were out on bail.