Shillong, June 12: The Meghalaya High Court has issued notices to both the Centre and State government over the pathetic condition of the Shillong District Jail.

The division bench which comprised of Chief Justice, Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice HS Thangkhiew in its order passed on Wednesday, directed to issue notice to the state government through the Additional chief secretary, Home (Police) department, Commissioner & Secretary Law department and Commissioner & Secretary Prisons department, Director General of Prison and Union of India through Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.

The order came after a note on the recent visit conducted to the District Jail at Shillong was submitted by the Registrar-cum Principal Secretary to the Chief Justice before the bench, which has accordingly directed that it should be treated as public interest litigation (PIL).

The Registrar-cum-Principal Secretary to the Chief Justice and Protocol officers of the Meghalaya High Court had visited the Shillong District Jail on June 7.

W. Diengdoh, Member Secretary, Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, Md. Noor Ain Khan, District and Sessions Judge, Shillong, Robert Kenedy M. Sangma, Assistant Inspector General of Prison, Government of Meghalaya, D. War Khyllew, Superintendent of District Jail, Shillong and Medical Officers were also present.

On inspection of the jail, conditions of the jail inmates were found to be very pathetic. The ratio of accommodation and number of jail inmates were found to be totally unmatched.

The manner in which they were kept at the rooms found to be so congested and unhygienic to be able to survive for a human being.

Meanwhile, the bench has also appointed senior advocate, T.T. Diengdoh as Amicus Curiae to assist the Court. The next hearing is scheduled on June 28.