RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has decided to establish ‘inspectorate of correctional and custodial service’ in the province to monitor facilities in prisons.

The Sindh government has already replaced the prison act 1894 with Sindh Prisons & Corrections Services Act 2019. The Punjab government has also decided to replace it with The Punjab Prisons & Corrections Service Act 2019 with some amendments and revisions.

The home department had proposed the establishment of an inspectorate to carry out periodic inspections to improve efficiency and service delivery in the prisons.

According to sources the home department had submitted the draft Act 2019, to the chief minister for placing it before the cabinet for approval.

The inspectorate will consist of a director general and a number of chief inspectors, deputy chief inspectors and other staff

The inspectorate will consist of a director general (DG) and a number of chief inspectors, deputy chief inspectors and other staff members.

The DG will be the chief executive officer (CEO) of the inspectorate.

The newly-proposed inspectorate shall conduct announced inspections in accordance with the inspection programme. Unannounced inspections shall be conducted at least once every quarter.

The inspection would be conducted by a team of two or more people at least one of whom would be the chief inspector or deputy chief inspector.

They would conduct inspection of safety, health and respect for prisons, detainees and visitors once every year.

The inspectorate will be empowered to inspect or obtain any information, data or record maintained by a service.

In addition to it, the inspectorate may call for any record, data or from any agency or department of the government.

Under the Act 2019, every agency or department of the government shall provide the record, data or information to the inspectorate as may be requested.

The more surprising was powers to enter premises (prison facilities) for the purpose of inspection or obtaining record as the DG, chief inspector, deputy chief inspector, inspectors or a member of the staff of the inspectorate may enter any premises owned or possessed by a service for purpose of inspection or obtaining any record, information or data.

According to the proposed Act 2019, an officer or employee of a service who obstructs the inspectorate in the discharge of its function shall be guilty of misconduct within the meaning of Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act 2006.

Under the Act, no law suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against an officer of the inspectorate in respect of anything done or attempted to be done by him in good faith.

According to present prisons external monitoring, inspections by directorate of monitoring home department and by officers of home department had carried out 78 inspections of prison facilities across Punjab province during 2018-19.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2019