Develop protocol for filling vacancies in open correctional institutions, Supreme Court tells States

Supreme Court directs States to create a protocol for filling vacancies in Open Correctional Institutions, emphasizing dignity and reintegration.

The Supreme Court on Thursday (February 26, 2026) directed States and union territories to develop a time-bound protocol for filling existing vacancies in Open Correctional Institutions (OCI) and open barracks.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, in a judgment, observed that prisons were institutions of correction, where dignity, self-respect and social reintegration were not aspirational ideals but constitutional necessities.

The court underscored that OCIs did not function merely as labour camps or spaces of custodial convenience.

The court also directed States and Union Territories to develop a protocol for restructuring existing OCIs to allocate adequate capacity for female prisoners. The directions came on a PIL petition regarding overcrowding in prisons and the functioning of OCIs.

Recognising the absence of uniformity in governance, eligibility norms, rehabilitation facilities and management of OCIs, the apex court constituted a high-powered committee for reform and governance of OCIs with former Supreme Court judge Justice S. Ravindra Bhat as executive chairperson.

The objective of the committee is formulation of common minimum standards for the governance, administration and management of OCIs, including eligibility criteria, living conditions, etc, the Bench said.