The Madras High Court (HC) on Thursday, October 24, directed the state government, Director General of Police, and DIG of prisons to explain the lack of female superintendents in special women’s prisons in Tamil Nadu, within two weeks. The HC was hearing a writ petition demanding the appointment of female officers as superintendents in special prisons for women. Currently, only two special prisons are managed by female superintendents, while the five others are overseen by men, in violation of the state’s rules. 

The writ of Mandamus was submitted by Advocate and director of Prisoners Rights Forum P Pugalenthi. Although the Tamil Nadu government passed an order in 2009 to post female officers in special prisons for women as superintendents, only two prisons —located in Chennai and Cuddalore— currently execute it, Pugalenthi told TNM. The other five special prisons, located in Vellore, Salem, Madurai, Trichy, and Coimbatore, have male superintendents. 

Pugalenthi said that the women prisoners are not able to bring up their grievances at the weekly meetings held at Vellore, Madurai and the other prisons because they are presided over by male officers.

In his Writ of Mandamus, Pugalenthi argued that the position of Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (Women Prisoners) has also remained vacant for over 10 years. It may be noted that as per the Tamil Nadu Government’s order number 785, dated October 7, 2009, a female Superintendent of Prisons who has served five years must be promoted to the position of Deputy Inspector General of Prisons.