The Madras High Court disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed seeking directions against the respondents to construct and function Children Friendly Interview Hall in all Central Prisons, Special Prisons for women in Tamil Nadu.
On the last date, the Court had passed an order directing the first respondent (The State of Tamilnadu) to file a report about the feasibility of providing such Children Friendly Interview Halls in the prisons. Pursuant thereto, the first respondent has filed a compliance report.
The said report reads :
“4. In this connection, I respectfully submit that, the Chief Engineer, the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation Ltd., Chennai has been addressed vide second respondent letter No.46284/MW2/2015, dated 01.02.2024 to provide the compliance/feasibility report along with estimates to set up the children friendly interview hall in all Central Prisons and Special Prisons for Women in consultation with the respective Superintendents of Prisons. The Chief Engineer, the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation Ltd., Chennai has informed that, for the construction of children friendly interview hall, the estimate cost is Rs.1.50 crore for 9 central prisons and 5 Special Prisons for Women. The detailed estimates are under preparation by the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation Ltd., Chennai. Necessary proposal to the first respondent seeking administrative and financial sanction will be received shortly. On receipt of the proposal from the second respondent, the proposal will be considered and administrative sanction will be accorded by the Government.”
The report states that the steps are being taken by the respondents for setting up the Children Friendly Interview Hall in the Central Prisons and Special Prisons for Women in consultation with the respective Superintendents of Prisons and that, estimate is also received for the construction of such Children Friendly Interview Hall in the prisons and that is Rs.1.50 Crores.
The detailed estimates are under preparation by the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation Ltd., Chennai and necessary proposals to the first respondent seeking administrative and financial sanction will be received shortly.
The report further states that on receipt of the proposal from the second respondent, administrative sanction will be accorded by the Government.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice G. Ilangovan hoped and trusted that the said steps recording the administrative sanction would be completed within a period of six months and thereafter, the work would be undertaken immediately.