Overcrowded jails, missing doctors: Cruel Maharashtra prison conditions reach Bombay HC

Maharashtra’s jails are overcrowded by nearly 40 per cent, with more than 38,500 inmates housed across 60 facilities, while nearly half the medical officer posts remain vacant. The prison system has just one full-time psychologist and one psychiatrist, with 19 of the 21 sanctioned posts in these two categories lying vacant, the state government has told the Bombay High Court.

According to an affidavit filed by Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services Suhas Warke, 38,515 inmates were lodged in the state’s prisons as of April 30, 2026, against a sanctioned capacity of 27,503, taking occupancy to nearly 140 per cent.

Of the 100 sanctioned medical officer posts, 52 were vacant. This included 11 of 12 psychologist posts and eight of nine psychiatrist posts. The nine central prisons together house 25,473 inmates against a capacity of 16,075, operating at nearly 160 per cent occupancy.

Mumbai Central Prison, or Arthur Road Jail, has 3,534 inmates against a capacity of 999. Yerwada Central Prison in Pune houses 5,991 against 2,777, while Thane Central Prison has 2,726 against 1,141. In contrast, the 19 open prisons are operating at around 52 per cent capacity, with 1,732 inmates against a sanctioned strength of 3,307.

With specialist posts largely vacant, the prison department said psychological counselling, de-addiction and other services were being provided through NGOs and trusts, including Prayas, a field action project of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and the Manav Foundation.

The affidavit stated that 12,515 prisoners had received psychological counselling for drug addiction over the past three years through Manav Foundation and Project Mumbai CHS Limited. On October 12, the High Court appreciated prison authorities for submitting an “exhaustive” reply with details sought under Supreme Court directions.

The state also informed the court that a High Powered Committee on Open Prison Reforms, headed by Justice Bharati Dangre, was visiting facilities and reviewing policies for transferring eligible inmates. The bench, led by Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi, sought an update on remedial measures and posted the matter for November 30.

The High Court has repeatedly warned that overcrowding and prolonged incarceration affect inmates’ mental health. Last year, while granting bail to an undertrial accused of murder who had spent nine years in jail, it observed that “long incarceration can promote unhealthy behaviours like drug abuse” and that inmates “face social stigma which can disrupt relationships with family and friends”.

The Nagpur bench had also called for round-the-clock medical support in prisons, noting that overcrowding and inadequate staff compromised prison administration and forced inmates to be taken to government hospitals. “Timely medical treatment, including that of 24×7 presence of a physician, psychiatrist and allied medical staff, must be made available in the jail/prison, which perhaps is lacking,” it observed.

Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates ex... Read More