Patna: The Patna High Court has ordered the Bihar government to finalise amendments to the Bihar Jail Manual, 2012, within nine months, in a move aimed at modernising prison regulations in the state.
A division bench comprising Justices Sudhir Singh and Rajesh Kumar Verma issued the directive while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Abhinav Shandilya. The petition sought the implementation of the Model Prison Manual, 2016, prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which has been adopted by most states to standardise prison procedures across India.
Shandilya told the court that Bihar remains behind in prison reforms, with the manual still largely on paper even after nine years. He noted that while the state made partial amendments in 2023—which led to the release of former MP Anand Mohan—the comprehensive adoption of the Model Prison Manual has not been implemented.
The state government, through an affidavit, informed the court that a committee at the headquarters level is reviewing the amendments suggested by the Bihar Institute of Correctional Administration. The committee was reconstituted after a member retired, and several meetings have taken place to finalise the changes.
“Considering the facts and the arguments presented, the court directs that the process of amending the Bihar Jail Manual be completed within nine months from the receipt of this order,” the bench ruled.
