State directed to reply on petition over utilisation of prison fund

A petition filed by Adisaya Kumar said that there were nine central prisons, four special prisons for women, 95 sub-jails and 12 Bristol schools and in total there are were more than 5,000 convicted prisoners. 

All the prisoners are made to work in the prison and based on their work they are differentiated as skilled, semiskilled and unskilled workers. The salary depends on the type of work they do. A skilled labourer would draw Rs 100 per day whereas semi-skilled and unskilled will draw Rs 80 and Rs 60 respectively. 

Out of their salary, 50 per cent would be taken for their upkeep, 30 per cent would be paid for them and remaining 20 per cent would go for the prison fund which will be provided for the victims of various criminal incidents. 

But an RTI reply revealed that till date the prison fund taken from prisoners had not been disbursed to the victims and hence the petitioner has prayed that the High Court direct the government to produce the accounts of the prison fund in the court and also to disburse the money for the victims. On hearing the petition, the bench directed the state government to file a counter affidavit within a week. 

The High Court (Madurai Bench) has granted one week time for government to file status report in the case filed seeking appointment of Chairman of Fees Determining Committee for private matriculation schools in the state. 

The hearing for the case, filed by Karthi, came up on Tuesday and the judges came down heavily on government for not appointing Chairman of Fees Determining Committee even after three months after reopening schools. Judges also questioned the government that how could fees be determined when the Fees Determining Committee did not meet without the Chairman.