New Delhi, April 23 -- The The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the establishment, functioning and expansion of Open Correctional Institutions (OCIs), or open jails, and directed the Delhi government to constitute a monitoring committee for their management. OCIs are reform-oriented facilities with minimal security, housing inmates with good conduct under a system of self-discipline. Acting on a February 26 order of the Supreme Court, the bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia said such panels must oversee expansion, ensure compliance and facilitate transfer of eligible prisoners from closed jails. The committee, to be headed by the executive chairman of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority, will include the home secretary and a senior prisons officer. The court asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit detailing steps taken so far. It also made the Centre and Delhi parties to the case and appointed senior advocate Arvind Nigam as amicus curiae. The matter will be heard next on July 24.shruti kakkar...