Kerala mulls changes in Prisons Act and Rules

Thiruvananthapuram, July 23 (UNI) Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today informed the state Assembly that the government was planning to make timely changes in the Prisons Act and Rules in the state.

Responding to questions from Mr Abdurahiman Randathani (IUML) and others, he said since the existing Act was established during the period of the British rule, the government was planning to make a comprehensive change in the 'Jail Manual'.

Asserting that the government would not allow anarchy in jails and never take any steps to deny humanitarian values to the prisoners, the Home Minister said it would take all steps to bring the prisoners to the main stream of the society.

Mr Balakrishnan said the government had taken all preventive measures to make sure that the prisoners never get addicted to drugs and other kind of intoxicate materials.

It suspended three head jail wardens and a warden on the charges that they had helped prisoners to get such materials in the jails.

Since such materials entered the jails through visitors, steps were taken to check the visitors, he said and added that the government would also consider appointing women staff for checking women visitors in jails.

He said mobile phone jammers would be installed in all the Central Jails in the state. The system would be installed at Kannur jail first.

According to the availability of funds more jails would be opened in the state, he added.

UNI