The State on Monday told the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that steps were being taken to set up child-friendly interview halls in all Central Prisons and Special Prisons for Women in Tamil Nadu.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala and Justice G. Ilangovan observed that the court hoped that steps regarding administrative sanction would be completed within six months and thereafter the work be undertaken immediately.
The court was hearing the public interest litigation petition filed in 2016 by K. R. Raja of Palayamkottai who sought a direction to the government to set up child-friendly interview halls in Central Prisons and Special Prisons for Women in the State. The court had earlier sought a feasibility report from the State.
In a compliance report, Home Secretary P. Amudha said that the Chief Engineer of the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation submitted an estimate of ₹1.50 crore for construction of child-friendly interview halls in nine Central Prisons and five Special Prisons for Women after consultation with the respective Superintendents of Prisons.
A detailed estimate was under preparation by the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation and a necessary proposal seeking the administrative and financial sanction would be received shortly. On receipt of the proposal, it would be considered and administrative sanction would be accorded by the government, it was submitted.
The petitioner Raja said that parental imprisonment had an impact on children. The children of inmates visited their parents in prisons and prison buildings were constructed without considering the impact it had on the young visitors, often presenting remote and inaccessible facilities which were inappropriate for them.
When the children visited the prison, they found their time spent there far from satisfactory. Restrictions and conditions were imposed. They had to talk to their parents through wire mesh partitions. They would become tired and restless as a result. There was a need for child-friendly facilities in prisons, he said.
The place could have toys for the children and non-uniformed staff. It could significantly improve the quality of the children’s visit. It would strengthen parent-child relationships and help in successful post-release family reunification, he said.
