The children of jail inmates in the age group of 0-6 should be taken care of and sent to the nearest Anganwadi Centers and given all the facilities that are available to other children, an Interlocutory Application urged the Orissa High Court while seeking its intervention in the matter.
The schemes of the government, for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC), Minorities and Other Backward Classes (OBC), have not been taken into consideration in their case.
The children in jails, those belonging to the ST/SC/OBCs, should also be given the same facilities of the welfare schemes, senior lawyer Mrinalini Padhi brought to the notice of the Court in an Interlocutory Application.
The Supreme Court, in a judgment, had stated that a child should not be treated as an under trial/convict while in jail with his/her mother. Such a child is entitled to food, shelter, medical care, clothing, education and recreational facilities as a matter of right.
Padhi also brought to the notice of the court that the under-trial prisoners and convicts, when engaged in voluntary labour, should be given “labouring diet”.