SUPREME COURT: END CASTE-BASED ALLOTMENT OF WORK TO PRISONERS, DELETE CASTE COLUMN IN PRISON REGISTERS

The Supreme Court in the case Sukanya Shantha v. Union of India observed and has laid down crucial guidelines for the prevention of caste-based discrimination division of labour in Prisons.

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The court in the case struck down the provisions of the Prison Manuals of several States as per which jobs were assigned to prisons which being on the basis of their castes.

The court in the case held that assigning cleaning and sweeping to the marginalised castes and assigning cooking to higher-caste prisoners is nothing but it being a direct caste discrimination and a violation of Article 15 of Constitution of India.

The court in the case observed and took objection to the provisions as stated under the UP Prison Manual which provides that that a person going under simple imprisonment need not be given menial work unless his caste is used to do such jobs.

The court in its judgement observed that, 'This court hold that no group are born as scavenger class or to do or not do menial jobs or as alasses who can cook and who cannot cook...these are aspects of untouchability which cannot be permitted.

The court also flagged the provisions of the Rajasthan prison manual which referred to de-notified tribes.