New Delhi, Feb 10 (UNI) The Supreme Court, surprised by the issue of women prisoners getting pregnant in jails and around 196 babies being born in different jails in West Bengal, said on Friday that it will examine the issue.
A bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Sanjay Kumar asked Senior Advocate Gaurav Agrawal, who is the amicus curiae in the suo motu case on conditions in prisons, to examine the issue of pregnancies and report back to the court.
The matter came to light on Thursday when the submission was being made before the Calcutta High Court by an amicus curiae during the mention of a case related to prison reforms and correctional homes in the State of West Bengal.
A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya took a serious view of the submission and said that the matter would be placed before a division bench hearing criminal cases.
The amicus suggested to the High Court that the male employees of correctional homes should be prohibited from entering enclosures holding women prisoners. The Supreme Court has directed Amicus Curie to examine the matter and report back to them.
UNI/SNG GNK