{"id":44054,"date":"2024-12-16T09:28:42","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T03:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=44054"},"modified":"2025-05-06T08:00:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T02:30:36","slug":"sanganer-open-jail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/sanganer-open-jail\/","title":{"rendered":"Sanganer Open Jail: A Model for Rehabilitation and Its Legal Dispute"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>What\u2019s in today\u2019s article?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Why in News?<\/li>\n<li>Reasons Behind the Fall of the Assad Regime<\/li>\n<li>Current Power Structure in Syria<\/li>\n<li>Geopolitical Stakes in Post-Assad Syria<\/li>\n<li>Uncertain Future for a Post-Assad Syria<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Why in News?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A Supreme Court-appointed commissioner will visit the <strong>Sanganer open prison<\/strong>, one of India\u2019s largest.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The visit follows a dispute over the Rajasthan government\u2019s plan to construct a hospital on land currently used by the jail. The Supreme Court, during a hearing on November 25, directed the commissioner to inspect the site and submit a report within four weeks.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Open Prison<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Definition<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The <i><strong>Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023<\/strong><\/i>, defines open correctional institutions as facilities offering eligible prisoners more freedom outside regular prisons to aid their rehabilitation.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Since prisons are a state subject, state governments set their own rules for establishing open jails, with eligibility typically based on the nature of the crime, inmate behavior, and sentence completion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Features<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Open jails have minimal security, allowing convicts to engage in activities like agriculture.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>These facilities help reduce overcrowding in regular prisons and facilitate prisoner reintegration into society.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Some states designate separate areas within closed jails for open jail inmates, while others establish independent colonies where prisoners may live with their spouses under restricted movement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>History of Open Jails in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Background<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The first open jail in independent India was established in 1949 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, followed by similar jails in other parts of the state in 1952.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The concept of open-air camps was proposed at the Hague Conference in 1952 to help prisoners lead a near-community life after completing part of their sentence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Justice Mulla Committee on Open Jails (1980-83)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>All-India Committee on Jail Reform<\/strong>, also known as the Justice Mulla Committee, reported 28-30 open jails in India during 1980-83.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>It highlighted the lack of a legal framework in many states and noted that only 13 states had rules for open jails.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The committee recommended:\n<ul>\n<li>Using land near closed prisons for open jails.<\/li>\n<li>Engaging inmates in work-based activities like agriculture, dairy farming, and projects such as dam construction.<\/li>\n<li>Providing uniform wages, as some states offered only token wages while others paid at community-level rates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Current Status of Open Jails in India<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>As per the <strong>Prison Statistics of India 2022<\/strong>, there are <strong>91 open jails across 17 states<\/strong>, with a capacity of 6,043 inmates and 4,473 prisoners currently lodged.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Rajasthan has the highest number of open jails (41), followed by Maharashtra (19). Open jails remain a significant initiative to reduce overcrowding and rehabilitate prisoners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Sanganer Open Jail: A Model for Open-Air Camps<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Historical Background<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The Sanganer open jail, also known as Sampurnanand Khula Bandi Shivir, was established in 1963.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>It has operated continuously, unlike other open jails that faced closures due to issues like prison breaks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Unique Features<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Accommodation for Families<\/strong>: Inmates can live with their spouses and children, fostering a family-like environment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Self-Sufficiency<\/strong>: Inmates pay for water and electricity, construct and maintain their own homes, and earn a living through local community jobs such as running shops.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Self-Governance<\/strong>: The jail has bandi panchayats, where prisoners manage roll calls twice daily and oversee internal governance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Infrastructure and Community Integration<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Facilities:<\/strong> The complex includes a primary school (open to local children), anganwadis, and a playground.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Work Opportunities<\/strong>: Inmates work within the local community, ensuring financial independence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Access to Technology<\/strong>: Inmates have access to phones, promoting better communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inmate Selection Criteria<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Unlike most open jails, where prisoners nearing the end of their sentence are admitted.<\/li>\n<li>Sanganer requires prisoners to have completed at least 6 years and 8 months of their term, along with good conduct.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Legacy and Influence<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The Mulla Committee recommended replicating Sanganer as the \u201cfinal stage in the open camp movement.\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Inspired by its success, many additional open-air camps have been established in Rajasthan, making it the state with the highest number of such facilities in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Dispute Over Land Allocation at Sanganer Open Jail<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Background: Supreme Court\u2019s Previous Directive<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>In May 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that areas of open jails should not be reduced, emphasizing the importance of preserving such spaces.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Contempt Petition filed<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Filed by a social worker, the petition argues that the Rajasthan government\u2019s plan to allocate 21,948 square meters of jail land for a hospital will disrupt the ecosystem of this unique and successful open jail model.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>State Government\u2019s Position<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The government denies any attempt to reduce the jail\u2019s area.<\/li>\n<li>It claims that some structures for prisoners were constructed unauthorizedly and proposes to allot additional land to relocate prisoners to new shelters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Supreme Court\u2019s Stance on this issue<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>On November 25, the SC bench emphasized balancing the needs of the open correctional home and the hospital, which would serve the surrounding community.<\/li>\n<li>The court also appointed a court commissioner who will inspect the site and submit a report.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Q.1. What makes Sanganer Open Jail unique?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Sanganer Open Jail allows inmates to live with their families, engage in community jobs, and practice self-governance through bandi panchayats. Its emphasis on rehabilitation and independence sets it apart from other jails.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Q.2. What is the legal dispute involving Sanganer Open Jail?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A Supreme Court case concerns Rajasthan&#8217;s plan to allocate jail land for a hospital. The court must balance preserving the jail&#8217;s ecosystem with community healthcare needs. A court-appointed commissioner is reviewing the matter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>News: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-law\/locked-in-court-battle-why-sanganer-open-air-jail-is-special-9718942\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Locked in court battle, why Sanganer open air jail is special<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/jaipur\/supreme-court-plans-inspection-of-hospital-site-near-sanganer-open-air-jail\/articleshowprint\/115670808.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Times of India<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/what-is\/what-is-an-open-prison-4980425\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Indian Express<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover the unique features of Sanganer Open Jail, its role in prisoner rehabilitation, and the ongoing Supreme Court case over land allocation for a hospital.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":44055,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-44054","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44054\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}