NEW DELHI, Mar 7
The Goa Human Rights Commission on Wednesday urged the state’s central jail authorities to ensure that male officers are always accompanied by female wardens during visits to the wards of women prisoners. The Commission said the officers must also record details of such visits, along with the reasons for the visits, in the jail report book.
In June last year, some women inmates at the central jail in Colvale had filed a complaint, alleging that male officers, who are prohibited from visiting the women’s block, often visit their wards unaccompanied by the jail matron and cause embarrassment and harassment to them.
In an order on Wednesday, citing rule 1445 of the Goa Prisons Rules, 2021, the Commission said no male is permitted to enter the female ward of any prison at any time, unless he has a legitimate duty to attend therein. “No adult male shall enter it at all by night except in an emergency, and even then along with the female warder/female officer, and he shall thereafter record a clear report of his visit with the reasons for such visit, and the hour thereof, in his report book,” the Commission said.
It further added, “Accordingly, the Commission recommends that the jail authorities of the Central Jail, Colvale, strictly comply with the said provision, ensuring that when male officers visit the female wards, they always be accompanied by female wardens/female officers and that they shall make a record of the report of the visit with reasons for such visit in the report book.”
On November 6, 2023, the rights panel had asked the jail authorities for a report on the matter. In the reply, the jail authorities stated that the male officers are always accompanied by women officers.
The Commission said a copy of the inquiry report should be put up by the jail authorities on the notice board, outside the women’s block. It further said that the inquiry report, along with recommendations, shall be sent to the authorities concerned.
