New Delhi, December 13: The Supreme Court on Thursday said a prisoner who is awaiting execution after being sentenced to death is entitled to meet his family members, friends, lawyers and doctors.
A bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur, S. Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta opined that a prisoner on death row should be permitted to meet with his lawyers or family members and even doctors.
It had further said that “no prison regulation and procedure to the contrary can be upheld as being constitutionally valid under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution unless it is reasonable, fair and just”.
Noting the rights of prisoners as enunciated by this Court would be available not only in a particular state but in all states and union territories, the court mentioned that state governments and union territory administrations “must modify the prison manuals, regulations and rules accordingly”.
Prasanta Patnaik