PIL to use convict prisoners for war against COVID-19 rejected

Chennai, Apr 7 (): The Madras High Court has dismisseda PIL seeking a direction to utilise the services of convictsserving jail terms for assisting the government in providingsecurity and other services relating to control of COVID-19pandemic outside prisons.

A bench of Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice PushpaSatyanarayana dismissed the public interest litigation from RSreedhar, an advocate, observing that such a move was fraughtwith risk and also there was no such requirement made out bythe petitioner or the state. "We agree with the submission made by the governmentpleader that taking the services of the convicted people,presently in the jails, outside the jail premises may not onlybe fraught with risk, but there is no such requirement madeout by either by the petitioner-in-person or by the state asof now," it said.

The employment of the jail inmates within the jailpremises in different spheres for their reform has alreadybeen taking place in terms of the Prisons Act and the rulesmade there under, the bench said.

Therefore, bringing them outside the jails to assistthe police personnel and other volunteers for security andother related purposes in COVID-19 situation was notconsidered necessary at this stage, it said.

"Therefore, we are not inclined to entertain this PILand the writ petition is dismissed, it added. COR NVGVS VS