Chhattisgarh High Court Orders Implementation of Open Prisons to Tackle Overcrowding

April 9, 2026 : Following a landmark Supreme Court judgment in the case of Suhas Chakma v. Union of India, the Chhattisgarh High Court has registered a suo motu public interest litigation to overhaul the state’s correctional system. A division bench led by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal has directed the state government to establish a coordinated, time-bound mechanism for the creation of Open Correctional Institutions. This initiative addresses the critical issue of prison overcrowding, which the court identified as a direct infringement on the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The state is now required to form a specialized monitoring committee within four weeks, headed by the Executive Chairman of the State Legal Services Authority. This body will oversee the identification of eligible prisoners, land allocation for new facilities, and the integration of semi-open barracks into existing infrastructures. A significant focus of this reform is ensuring gender-sensitive access to address the current under-representation of women in reformative programs. These institutions are designed to function as rehabilitative centers rather than purely punitive ones, allowing inmates a smoother transition toward social reintegration through vocational training and improved healthcare.

Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh has been tasked with filing a formal affidavit to document the state’s progress, while Advocate General Vivek Sharma will ensure inter-departmental coordination. The state must align its efforts with the national common minimum standards being developed by the high-powered committee under retired Justice S. Ravindra Bhat. A preliminary status report is due to the High Court by August 21, 2026, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for August 31, 2026, to ensure the transformation of the state’s prisons remains on schedule.