Supreme Court Directs States to Develop Protocols for Open Prison Vacancies and Inmate Dignity

The Supreme Court directed all states and Union territories to develop protocols for filling vacancies in Open Correctional Institutions (OCIs) within three months, ensuring these facilities function as correctional institutions respecting inmates' dignity and rehabilitation. The court emphasized that OCIs should not serve as labor camps and highlighted the under-representation of women prisoners, instructing states to allocate adequate capacity for them. A high-powered committee led by Justice S Ravindra Bhat was constituted to formulate common standards for OCI governance and management.