SC Appoints Registrar as Court Commissioner, PUCL Urges CM to Identify Alternative Land for Hospital Construction
Jaipur: The Supreme Court of India held a hearing regarding the controversial allotment of land from the Sanganer Open Camp (Jaipur) for the construction of a 300-bed hospital by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) on behalf of the Medical and Health Department, Government of Rajasthan (GoR). This matter is part of the ongoing Suhas Chakma v. Union of India & Ors. (Case No. 1082/2020).
In its interim order dated May 17, 2024, the Supreme Court had directed that “no attempt shall be made to reduce the area of open air camps, institutions, or prisons, wherever they are functioning.” Despite this, the GoR proceeded with the land allotment and instructed the Director of Medical and Health to coordinate with Central Jail authorities for the removal of prison cells to facilitate hospital construction. This prompted a contempt petition filed by petitioner Prasun Goswami.
The case was heard by a bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K.V. Vishwanathan. During the proceedings, the GoR offered an unconditional apology, stating that if any decision was inconsistent with the court’s directives, they regretted the same and assured compliance with future orders.
The Solicitor General representing GoR presented a revised proposal, stating that an additional 14,940 square meters would be allocated for the open prison, expanding its remaining area from 17,800 square meters to 32,740 square meters. The government also assured the court that no hospital construction would begin until alternative accommodations for prisoners were provided.
The petitioners clarified that they were not opposed to the hospital but strongly objected to reducing the open prison’s area, arguing it would harm the prisoners welfare.
To assess the situation, the SC appointed its Registrar as Court Commissioner to visit the site over a weekend, evaluate the ground realities, and submit a report by December 16, 2024.
Leaders of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), including National President Kavita Srivastava, Rajasthan President Bhanwar Meghwanshi, and General Secretary Anant Bhatnagar, expressed their concerns. They highlighted that the open camp serves as a shared space between prisoners and the local community. They warned that converting the open prison into housing barracks without communal spaces would degrade it into an urban slum, undermining its role as a model for restorative justice.
PUCL reiterated its appeal to Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma, urging him to identify alternative land for the hospital within Sanganer, his constituency, while preserving the integrity of the open prison. They emphasised the need to balance public healthcare development with the rehabilitation and dignity of prisoners.
