New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- India's prisons continued to face overcrowding in 2024, operating at 112.7 per cent of their sanctioned capacity, with 609 jails housing more inmates than they were designed for, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Replying to a question in the Upper House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the country's prisons had a sanctioned capacity of 4,53,769 inmates but were housing 5,11,542 prisoners as on December 31, 2024. The figures show that prisons accommodated 57,773 more inmates than their approved capacity.
Among states and Union territories, Delhi reported the highest prison occupancy rate at 194.6 per cent. The national capital had 19,512 inmates against a sanctioned capacity of 10,026. Meghalaya followed with 1,406 prisoners in facilities meant for 860 inmates, resulting in 163.5 per cent occupancy.
Jammu and Kashmir recorded 5,383 inmates against a capacity of 3,629, taking occupancy to 148.3 per cent. Madhya Pradesh housed 45,092 prisoners in jails with a capacity of 30,644, while Maharashtra had 39,003 inmates against 27,110 sanctioned seats, recording occupancy rates of 147.1 per cent and 143.9 per cent, respectively.
Kerala reported 10,307 inmates against a capacity of 7,823, translating to 131.8 per cent occupancy. Punjab had 30,663 prisoners in jails built for 26,543 inmates, with occupancy at 115.5 per cent. Uttar Pradesh, which has the country's largest prison capacity of 76,162, housed 86,762 inmates, taking occupancy to 113.9 per cent.
Responding to another question on undertrial prisoners, Kumar informed the House that India had 3,71,440 undertrial prisoners as on December 31, 2024. Of them, 968 undertrial prisoners were found eligible for release under Section 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) or Section 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure. During the year, 627 eligible undertrial prisoners were released.
Kumar said no specific reasons for the delay in releasing the remaining eligible undertrial prisoners had been reported by states and Union territories to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He told the House that prison administration and management fall under the State List of the Constitution, making states and Union territories responsible for expanding prison infrastructure, reducing overcrowding and ensuring the timely release of eligible undertrial prisoners.
The minister said the Centre has released Rs 608.6 crore to states and Union territories over the last five financial years under the Modernisation of Prisons project. The funds have been provided for constructing high-security prisons, strengthening prison security infrastructure and improving correctional administration through inmate skilling and rehabilitation initiatives.
On concerns related to overcrowding and its effect on prisoners' rights, healthcare, legal aid and rehabilitation, the government said these issues primarily fall within the jurisdiction of states and Union territories. It added that the Ministry of Home Affairs has circulated the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the Model Prison Manual, 2016, to all states and Union territories to promote humane prison conditions and improve prison administration, including medical care, legal aid, after-care and rehabilitation measures.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.