New jail manual delayed as babus sitting on it: Govt

■ Heated debate inside court

New Delhi, Aug. 2: The Delhi high court was informed on Thursday by the AAP government that notification of a new manual for Tihar Jail was delayed as senior bureaucrats were “sitting on the file” even after the same was cleared by the minister concerned.

“Secretary of Law, Home and the chief secretary are sitting on the file. They are behaving as if they are above the minister. People of Delhi are suffering due to these officers,” Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra said to a bench of acting chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar.

The court, however, did not approve of the “pitch” in which the lawyer was making the submissions, leading to further heated exchanges between the advocate and the bench.

The lawyer, thereafter, apologised for the manner in which he had argued. The court had earlier told the Delhi government that framing of the jail manual was not a five year project.

When the court asked about its status on Thursday, Mehra said it has been approved by the law and home departments

◗ The Delhi govt had earlier told the court that the new manual for Tihar Jail would completely change the existing one, as they were also going to re- visit the parole and furlough guidelines

of the Delhi government, but the bureaucrats were sitting on the file and, therefore, there was a delay in its notification. The new manual is aimed at bringing uniformity in rules and regulations governing the administration of prisons and management of prisoners in Tihar Jail here.

The Delhi government had earlier told the court that the new manual for Tihar Jail would completely change the existing one, as they were also going to re- visit the parole and furlough guidelines.

The issue of a new jail manual was taken up by the court while hearing a PIL seeking quashing of the guidelines that excluded female prisoners from the semi- open and open prisons.