Struggle for Dignified and Accessible Indian Prisons

• Lack of wheelchair accessibility.

• Professor G.N. Saibaba’s exoneration in March 2024.

• Mulla Committee report on prison reforms in the 1980s.

• Prisons house around 5.73 lakh people, exceeding capacity.

• Prisoners with disabilities often targets for abuse and violence.

• Accessibility gaps include unavailability of functional wheelchairs, inaccessible prison cells, toilets, and recreational spaces.

• All prisoners have the right to equality, freedom, life, and personal liberty.

• India has obligations under international covenants for the protection of prisoners with disabilities.

• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 requires state protection.

• Society’s belief in cruelty to prisoners fuels lack of political will for prison reforms.

• Compliance with the law is non-negotiable, and all prisoners, including those with disabilities, are government responsibility.