The Delhi High Court has directed the Government of NCT Delhi to ensure that the appointments are made positively within a period of six months in relation to pending vacancies of Medical Officers, Paramedical Staff, Welfare Officers, Counsellors, Teachers for Education, Yoga Teachers etc in the jails.
The Bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad in an order dated December 12 stated: "this Court is of the opinion that as the Respondents have already taken steps to depute persons on the post of Teachers and have taken steps for appointment of Counsellors, and they are certainly going to conclude process of recruitment within a period of six months from today, no further orders are required to be passed in the present PIL."
After going through the status report stated that 48 teachers and 23 Technical Teachers have been deputed by the Education Department, Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) for training and imparting technical education to the inmates. It is stated that in respect of Counsellors, a notice has been issued inviting applications for 40 posts of Counsellors, however, appointments have not taken place.
The court direction came during the hearing of a PIL filed by Advocate Amit Sahni stating that a large number of vacancies of Medical Officers, Paramedical Staff, Welfare Officers, Counsellors, Teachers for Education, Yoga Teachers etc, are lying vacant and the Government is not filling up the vacancies.
The Counsel for the Petitioner after going through the status report was fair enough in stating before this Court that once time has been granted by this Court to the GNCTD to fill up the vacancies/ back-logs within a period of six months, no further orders are required to be passed in the present PIL, said the Court.
Vaibhav Mishra, Sonali Tiwary and Monica Chauhan, Advocates appeared for Petitioner Amit Sahni in the matter while Sanjana Nangia, Advocate and Sameer Vashist, Additional Standing Counsel for Respondent (GNCTD).
"In respect of Medical and Para Medical staff, it is stated that steps have been taken to fill up the posts. The Counsel appearing for the GNCTD was fair enough in stating before this Court that a breathing period of six months be granted to the State to conclude the process of recruitment. The prayer is allowed," the court said.
In the PIL, petitioner Amit Sahni had also sought directions to the Government of NCT Delhi and DG Prisons to constitute and notify the Board of Visitors, Service Board, State Advisory Board, Prison Development Board and Forum for Prison Staff, as provided in Delhi Prison Act 2000 and Delhi Prison Rules 2018, in the larger interest of prisoners lodged in Delhi Jails as well as in the interest of Delhi Prison Administration.
There is an acute shortage of prison staff in general and particularly all posts of educational, correctional staff, psychiatric social workers and psychologists have been lying vacant for long. The respondents are duty-bound to take adequate steps not only for the welfare of the prisoners but for the well-being of the prison staff as well. The shortage of prison staff is a reason for the inadequate management of Delhi Jails and many-a-times the same leads to violence upon the errant inmates by the Jail Staff, said the plea.
( With inputs from ANI )
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