Guwahati: A district-wise inspection of adult prisons in Assam must be completed by October 31, 2026, following a Gauhati High Court order aimed at identifying children who may be lodged in these facilities.
Juvenile Justice Boards in every district have been tasked with conducting the visits and arranging the transfer of any children found to appropriate homes under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The directions came from a division bench comprising Justice Michael Zothankhuma and Justice Rajesh Mazumdar while hearing a public interest litigation concerning regular prison inspections by the boards.
For the October inspections, each board must submit its findings to the secretary of the respective District Legal Services Authority. The secretary will then forward the report to the Member Secretary of the Assam State Legal Services Authority.
The court also called for continued monitoring through regular jail visits, preferably every three months. Reports from these subsequent inspections must be submitted to the district legal services authorities concerned.
The order places responsibility on the boards to identify children held in adult prisons and take the steps required to move them into the care arrangements provided under juvenile justice law.
