Women Prisoners Getting Pregnant In Jails, 196 Babies Born: Calcutta High Court

Calcutta High Court today (Thursday) said that the women prisoners across different jails in West Bengal are getting pregnant. The Court was looking into a submission made by an amicus curiae to the prison reforms and correctional homes in the state.

The Court stated that women prisoners are reported to have given birth to 196 babies while under custody in the jails. The amicus recommended ways to address the issues of women becoming pregnant in jail. It suggested a total prohibition of male employees of the correctional homes from entering enclosures that have women prisoners. “I pray for a total prohibition of male employees of correctional homes, in the enclosures where women prisoners are kept,” the amicus told the Court.

While referring to the women getting pregnant in jails, the amicus said that he found a pregnant woman in one of the correctional homes he visited, noting that a total of 15 babies were born in that particular correctional home.

A division bench consisting of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya said that the issue would be considered next Monday by a division bench hearing criminal cases. “Learned amicus curiae has mentioned these matters and has placed a notice pointing out certain serious issues. One such issue is woman prisoners while in custody are getting pregnant and at present there are as many as 196 babies staying in different prisons of West Bengal,” the Court noted.

However, the Court said that the counsel has made other suggestions too for the effective adjudication of all the said matters. “In order to have an effective adjudication of all these matters, we deem it appropriate that the matter should be placed before the Hon’ble Division Bench having criminal roster determination,” the Court noted while placing the case before the division bench hearing criminal cases.