HC notice to State Govt on plea challenging circular suspending Legal Consultation of Inmates

On Monday, the High Court of Delhi issued notice to the Govt. of Delhi on a petition seeking quashing of a circular dated March 25 suspending legal consultation of the inmates with Lawyers of their choice in Delhi prison in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

The plea, filed by lawyer Ajit P Singh through advocate Lav Kumar Agrawal, is seeking to allow legal interviews between jail inmates with the Lawyers of their choice.

A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel & Justice Prateek Jalan asked Delhi Govt to file a reply on the plea & listed the matter for hearing on June 29.

The petitioner submitted that the circular issued by the Director-General (Prison), who is working under the respondent Govt, has violated Article 21 of the Constitution of India by not allowing the inmates of Delhi Prison to take legal advice & consultations by way of personal meetings & peruse their cases by way of Lawyer of their choice.

Article 21 of the Constitution of India pertains to the protection of life & personal liberty.

The plea said that on June 8, the petitioner went to Tihar Jail for the purpose of discussing the case of his client for the preparation of his bail application, whereafter he was informed by prison officers that the legal interviews of the inmates with their counsels are suspended due the impugned circular.

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