Taking one more step forward to Vyavastha Parivartan, now there will be no caste-based discrimination in the prisons of Himachal Pradesh. A government spokesperson said here today that on the directive of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the State Government has amended all the caste based provisions in the Himachal Pradesh Prison Manual 2021 to ensure equality and elimination of caste-based work allocation among prisoners.
He said that the state government has inserted a para in the manual prohibiting caste-based discrimination in prisons and correctional institutions. Under the newly added provision, para 5.66 ensures that no discrimination, classification, or segregation of prisoners will occur on the basis of caste. Whereas, para 5.67 further mandates that there will be no discrimination of prisoners in allotment of any duty or work in prisons on the basis of their caste. Para 5.68 invokes the provision that prisoners will not be engaged in manual scavenging, sewer system maintenance, or septic tank cleaning. Earlier, there was a provision in the Jail Manual allowing the employment of paid sweepers in the absence of female prisoners for cleaning tasks. This clause, previously under paragraph 214, has now been completely deleted.
The spokesperson said that now the jail records will no longer mention the caste, community, or religious affiliations of inmates of prisons. These provisions of entering caste, sect, and denomination in clause number 5 of register number one, register of unconnected prisoners, and point number two of register number two, register of convicts, mentioned in para number 33/06, have been deleted. Previously, the Prison Manual included provisions for such classifications. The state government has introduced these reforms through the Himachal Pradesh Prison Manual Second Amendment, 2025.
Furthermore, the amended Jail Manual also provides a clear definition of habitual offenders. A person will be classified as a habitual offenders if the person has been convicted or sentenced to imprisonment on more than two occasions on account of any one or more of the offenses committed on different occasions and not constituting parts of the same transaction within a continuous period of five years, provided the convictions have not been overturned on appeal or review.
The spokesperson said that the State Government remains committed to upholding dignity, equality, and justice, ensuring fair and non-discriminatory prison operations in the State.
