Nagpur, Dec 13 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Saturday introduced a bill in the state legislative assembly, seeking to bring a "consolidated, progressive and robust legal framework" concerning prisons and correctional services by replacing the "outdated" British era legislation in this regard.
The bill - Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2025 - aims to strengthen prisoners' rehabilitation and reintegration into society after release, and provides for different categories of prisons, a dedicated prisons force and modern correctional services in line with contemporary reform-oriented practices.
It aims to replace the pre-Independence Prisons Act, 1894 and the Prisoners Act, 1900.
Under the proposed law, the state will classify prisons into central prisons with a capacity of 800 or more inmates, district prisons of Class I (300 to 799 prisoners), Class II (151 to 299) and Class III (51 to 150), as well as special prisons, open prisons, women's prisons, temporary prisons, open colonies and Borstal institutions.
The government said the bill provides for the constitution of a Prisons Force headed by a Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, and introduces open prisons and open colonies to assist prisoners in their rehabilitation and social reintegration.
It also mandates segregation of prisoners into various categories and addresses special needs of women, transgender persons, undertrial prisoners, convicted prisoners, high-security prisoners, habitual and recidivist offenders, young offenders and civil prisoners.
The bill includes special provisions for women and transgender prisoners, including separate women's wards in prison hospitals, and provides for after-care rehabilitation services to needy prisoners after their release.
It also provides for the constitution of Undertrial Review Committees in every district to conduct periodic reviews of undertrial prisoners, facilitate speedy disposal of cases and make appropriate recommendations to trial courts.
The legislation seeks to ensure there is no discrimination in classification, segregation or allotment of work in prisons on the basis of caste or disability, and mandates the provision of appropriate healthcare, including psychiatric and psychological services, and access to rehabilitation programmes.
Stating the objectives of the bill, the government said, "With the evolution of reformative and rehabilitative correctional ideology and advances in information technology, colonial-era laws have become outdated and need to be replaced with a consolidated, progressive and robust legal framework suited to modern needs".