Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government to increase staff for cleaning toilets in Delhi’s jails. The court has also mandated an inspection of all jail toilets within two weeks and requires a status report in eight weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for October 22.
Anuj Malhotra filed the petition highlighting poor toilet conditions and manual scavenging in Delhi jails. Previously, the court reviewed a PIL from the Law Service Committee concerning overcrowding and inadequate facilities in Tihar Jail.
The court had appointed a four-member lawyer committee—Dr. Amit George, Santosh Kumar Tripathi, Nandita Rao, and Tushar Sannu—to inspect the jails. The committee reported insufficient drinking water and unsanitary toilet conditions, including broken doors compromising prisoner privacy. They also noted poor living conditions and manhole water spilling outside.
The court observed that the report and photographs demonstrated a lack of basic facilities such as safe drinking water and functional toilets. Rule 425 of the Delhi Jail Rules, 2018, mandates fresh drinking water and proper sanitation for all prisoners.
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