NHRC recommends fixed tenure for Inspectors General of Prisons
The Chairperson of the Commission, Mr. Justice J.S. Verma, has written to the Chief Ministers of all States indicating that qualitative improvements can be brought about in Prison Administration if Inspectors General of Prisons are accorded fixed tenures in that post and are appointed after careful selection.
In his letter dated 21 December 1999, the Chairperson said that "the post of the Inspector General of Prisons, who heads the prison administration in the State, is now filled up by officers either from the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Police Service. However, the Commission is pained to observe that the usual tenure of the officers is too brief and most of them view the posting as IG Prisons as an inconvenient loop-line job and look ahead for suitable posts in the mainstream of general administration. The upshot is that the Inspectors General of Prisons do not continue in this post for a fixed period and become birds of passage. Sometimes the post remains vacant for a long time. Such a situation is not conducive to efficient prison administration".
The Chairperson has recommended that officers of proven integrity and competence, with faith in the culture of human rights, should be selected for the post. He has emphasised the need for a fixed tenure. "This will impart continuity and dynamism and will also provide efficiency and credible leadership to the prison administration". It will also "go a long way in improving the quality and promoting concern for human rights in the prison administration".
One of the important functions of the National Human Rights Commission, as provided under Section 12 © of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 is to "visit, under intimation to the State Government, any jail or any other institution under the control of the State Government, where persons are detained or lodged for purposes of treatment, reformation or protection, to study the living conditions of the inmates and make recommendations thereon". The Commission, during the last 6 years, has undertaken visits to a large number of prisons all over the country, enquired into numerous complaints regarding the violation of human rights of prisoners and highlighted the need for prison reforms in its orders and reports. The Commission is strongly of the view that there is an urgent need for systemic reforms to improve prison conditions.
In his letter dated 21 December 1999, the Chairperson said that "the post of the Inspector General of Prisons, who heads the prison administration in the State, is now filled up by officers either from the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Police Service. However, the Commission is pained to observe that the usual tenure of the officers is too brief and most of them view the posting as IG Prisons as an inconvenient loop-line job and look ahead for suitable posts in the mainstream of general administration. The upshot is that the Inspectors General of Prisons do not continue in this post for a fixed period and become birds of passage. Sometimes the post remains vacant for a long time. Such a situation is not conducive to efficient prison administration".
The Chairperson has recommended that officers of proven integrity and competence, with faith in the culture of human rights, should be selected for the post. He has emphasised the need for a fixed tenure. "This will impart continuity and dynamism and will also provide efficiency and credible leadership to the prison administration". It will also "go a long way in improving the quality and promoting concern for human rights in the prison administration".
One of the important functions of the National Human Rights Commission, as provided under Section 12 © of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 is to "visit, under intimation to the State Government, any jail or any other institution under the control of the State Government, where persons are detained or lodged for purposes of treatment, reformation or protection, to study the living conditions of the inmates and make recommendations thereon". The Commission, during the last 6 years, has undertaken visits to a large number of prisons all over the country, enquired into numerous complaints regarding the violation of human rights of prisoners and highlighted the need for prison reforms in its orders and reports. The Commission is strongly of the view that there is an urgent need for systemic reforms to improve prison conditions.