On Tuesday, Maharashtra jail authorities informed the Aurangabad bench of the High Court of Bombay that non-vegetarian food items & sweets are being supplied to prisoners in the state on demand.
Assistant public prosecutor SB Narwade informed the 2-member bench, comprising Justices Ravindra Ghuge & Shrikant Kulkarni, that mutton, chicken & egg preparations & sweets such as bundi, laddu are being made available to inmates on demand.
Narwade said the inmates are allowed to purchase non-vegetarian food items & sweets from their earnings to a maximum limit of Rs 4,500 per month, but an advanced order for the edible stuff needed to be placed since they are bought from outside the jail & correctional home facilities.
The prosecutor was responding to a petition filed by Balaji Shendge, an inmate of Aurangabad Central Jail, who had complained about a lack of quality food for inmates.
He had prayed for directions to the jail authorities to provide quality food to prisoners in line with the Maharashtra Prison (Diet for Prisoners) Rules, 1970.
He had urged the court to direct the jail authorities to start “wet canteens”, as contemplated under the November 2019 circular issued by the prison department, for making available non-vegetarian food & sweets to inmates.
Noticing that the “on-demand” supply of non-vegetarian food & sweets to prisoners was sufficient compliance of the provisions of the Maharashtra Prison (Diet for Prisoners) Rules, 1970, HC disposed of the petition in view of the prosecutor’s statement.
However, the bench has granted Shendge the liberty to raise his grievances, if any, before the committee of the District Judge & the collector.
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