UP Moots New Jail Manual, To Do Away With British Remnants Like Whipping, Minister’s Approval Awaited

Lucknow, June 18 (TNA) The office of the UP’s DG Prison has intimated former IPS Amitabh Thakur, who has sought immediate amendment in various provisions of Uttar Pradesh Jail Manual, that new Jail Manual is soon to come in operation.

S K Maitreya, DIG, Headquarters has said in his letter that the new Jail Manual has been presented to State Government after incorporating the various provisions in Model Prison Manual 2003 and 2016 along with recommendations of UP Jail Reforms Committee 1946, All India Jail Reforms Committee 1980-83, Kapur Committee 1987, the Supreme Court, High Court and NHRC. The proposal is presently pending in the Government and new Jail Manual 2021 shall come in operation after the Minister’s approval.

Amitabh had said that there are many provisions of Jail Manual which are directly against the provisions of Indian Constitution and Indian criminal laws. Some of these provisions like Para 168 even talk of transfer of convicted soldiers to United Kingdom and use words like British possession, Secretary of State and His Majesty’s order.

Many paras in the Manual refer to Europeans and Anglo Indian prisoners. There are many other Para which talk of Government of Madras, Calcutta Presidency, Government of Bombay etc which no longer exist. Many Para deal with Jails that are now part of Uttarakhand. Para 719 even allows caste prejudices which seems prima facie against the provision of Indian constitution.

Many others deal with punishments like whipping, fetter, handcuff, cross bars etc which have been completely removed from penal provisions in India. Almost all the Para which provide diet money or other such monetary support talk of abysmally low amounts like diet money of Rs. 2 per day and 37 paise per Kilometer. Even Jail allowance to Medical Officer is only Rs. 10 per month.