In a suo motu petition initiated to ensure compliance with a Supreme Court judgment, the Goa High Court has pointed out a significant legislative gap in the state’s prison framework, observing that the existing Goa Prison Rules contain no provisions or guidelines for the establishment and operation of open correctional facilities.
To address the issue and facilitate informed policy recommendations, the High Court has directed the Goa Home Department to arrange and fund a study tour for a seven-member expert committee constituted by the court.
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The committee has been tasked with visiting the Sanganer Open Jail in Rajasthan, one of the country’s well-known open correctional institutions, to gain firsthand knowledge of its functioning, administration, and rehabilitation model.
The court observed that the absence of a legal framework governing open prisons in Goa poses a challenge to implementing the principles laid down by the Supreme Court regarding prison reforms and inmate rehabilitation.
The proposed visit is expected to help the expert committee study best practices and formulate recommendations for creating suitable rules and policies for establishing open correctional facilities in Goa.
The initiative marks an important step towards modernising the state’s prison system by focusing on rehabilitation, reintegration, and progressive correctional practices in line with national judicial directives.
