Delhi HC Seeks Response from Delhi Government Over Restrictive Prison Rule

Delhi High Court seeks response from Delhi govt in the challenge to Prison Rule restricting inmates' right to consult a lawyer to two meetings a week.

Rule 585 of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018 restricts the inmates right to a legal meeting to two times a week. The petitioners challenged this rule. In the petition challenging the Delhi Prison Rule, the Delhi High Court has sought a response from Delhi Government (Jai A Dehadri & Anr vs GNCTD).

The petition was challenged by Advocates Jai A Dehadri and Sidharth Arora. They challenged Rule 585 of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018 contending that it violates the right to Justice which is guaranteed by the virtue of Article 21 of the Constitution to the convicts and undertrials.

The Prison Rules should provide for an interview with the legal advisors for an unlimited number of times from Monday to Friday, the petitioners prayed this.

It was also submitted that "Proper legal representation would not only ensure the basic human right of the prisoner but also ensure that an undertrial is provided with a swifter trial”. Also, other developed countries such as the United States of America do not have any bar on the number of meetings with the legal advisors of the inmates.

The notice was issued by the Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh and Advocate Harshit Goel filed the petition.

The next date of hearing in this matter is April 4, 2021.