Mahima
The Karnataka High Court directed the state government to fill up the vacancies of medical staffs at prisons across the state.
The division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka passed this order after it noticed that 86 out of 114 posts for medical officers, psychiatrists and pharmacists, including all 7 posts of Chief Medical Officers are vacant.
The Court was listening the petition on overall condition of state prisons where the government made the said submissions.
The Court directed the government to come up with an outer limit as well as to consider whether government hospital staffs can be transferred to prison hospitals.
The Court further asked the government to address issues concerning health and hygiene of the prisoners, overcrowding, visiting guidelines for family and friends, etc and file an affidavit dealing with several aspects of prisons.
The Court also inquired whether any standard size of cells have been prescribed and if there are any proposals for construction of additional premises.
