Maharashtra's Prison Act 2024: Landmark Reforms End Caste Bias, Introduce Advanced Surveillance & Modern Management Across State Prisons

Mumbai: With the State Legislature approving a bill introducing sweeping reforms in prison administration, the path is now clear for implementing the Prison Act, 2024.

The bill will become law after receiving the Governor’s assent. It empowers the government to deploy advanced surveillance and monitoring technologies in prisons and seeks to end caste-based discrimination and inequities in the allocation of prison work. The Prison Act, 2024, drafted by the state government in line with the Centre’s Model Prison Act, was cleared by the State Assembly last week.

Earlier, a version of the legislation approved in 2024 had faced scrutiny from the Union Home Ministry when it was sent for Presidential assent. The state later withdrew the bill and assured the Cen - tre that it would incorporate the suggested amendments. Under the new Act, inmates seeking parole must consent to wearing electronic tracking or GPS-enabled devices to monitor their movements and activities.

Violation of the prescribed conditions may result in cancellation of furlough or parole and could also lead to disqualification from future eligibility. To strengthen prison management, the government will introduce biometric systems, CCTV surveillance, scanning and detection devices, radio frequency identification, and video conferencing facilities across prisons in the state.

The Act abolishes caste-based classification or segregation of prisoners and bars assigning inmates to manual scavenging or hazardous tasks. It also mandates training for prison staff to sensitise them to the needs and rights of prisoners with disabilities.

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