Inmates to sarpanchs: A role reversal

Khan has been entrusted with the job of acting as a bridge between authorities and his fellow inmates in an effort to make the facility more humane for its prisoners.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Director General Raipur Central Prison Anil Nawani stated that the model of Panchayati Raj System is being applied here in an effort to reform prisons. “The Raipur Central Prison has decided to introduce a Panchayati Raj-based self rule system for its inmates as we hope that this will help us address their woes,” he added.

The nominees will be free to move around and interact with other inmates and take note of the problems being faced by them. The need for Panchayati Raj system like institution was felt after prison authorities received several complaints regarding lack of proper food, health services, time management to meet their relatives, fights over petty issues and bribery.

Presently, there are about 2,200 prisoners in the jail, including 760 undertrials and about 1,430 convicts and these 28 panchs and three sarpanchs will be in charge of 28 barracks as far as grievance redressal is concerned.

“A Panchayat meeting will be called once every month and besides the 31 nominees, prison inmates, jail superintendent, prison doctor and other prison officials will also be present there,” stated DIG (Prisons) PD Verma.

“We hope that the new system will help prisoners reform and rehabilitate,” he added.