Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court has sought responses from the Inspector General, Prisons, Jaipur Central Jail superintendent, Jaipur district collector and other authorities over the operation of a private canteen on Jaipur Central Jail premises.A division bench of Justice Inderjeet Singh and Justice Sandeep Taneja issued notices while hearing a PIL filed by Babli Sharma on Aug 20. A copy of the order was uploaded Monday.The petitioner’s counsel Supriya Saxena told the court that the canteen was allegedly being operated without a valid and transparent tender process and without the requisite security clearance. The PIL has raised questions about the legality of allowing a private commercial establishment to operate within sensitive prison premises.The petitioner has sought production of the entire record relating to the establishment and operation of the canteen, including the memorandum of understanding, file notings, administrative approvals, policy decisions, tender documents, security clearances and other relevant records.The petition seeks a declaration that operating the private canteen without statutory authority and a transparent, competitive selection process is illegal and arbitrary, and seeks directions for discontinuation and removal of unauthorised commercial activities unless authorised in accordance with law after a fair and competitive procedure.The petitioner has further sought an independent departmental inquiry by a senior officer not connected with the prisons department into how the private canteen was established and permitted to operate, and fixing of responsibility on officers found responsible for irregularities or procedural lapses.The PIL also seeks an investigation into alleged unauthorised commercial activities, including excessive photocopying charges, collection of commissions on financial transactions and sale of tobacco products, besides any other activity allegedly violating the law or prison regulations. Saxena submitted that tobacco and cigarettes were allegedly being sold from the jail canteen despite restrictions under the Rajasthan Prisons Rules, 2022.The court was informed about govt’s “Asha Canteen” concept, introduced to provide a platform for sale of products manufactured by prisoners. The petitioner alleged that the canteen in question did not sell products made by inmates.The petition also seeks a transparent policy governing canteens and commercial facilities inside prisons, including compliance with statutory provisions, public procurement norms and security protocols, and directions that no private commercial establishment be allowed inside any prison in Rajasthan without due process, statutory approvals and security clearances.
