Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Sep 25 (IANS): A PIL has been filed before the Allahabad High Court regarding decongestion of the prisons in Uttar Pradesh in the light of growing coronavirus cases in the state.

The plea seeks a direction to the Department of Prison Administration, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and the Uttar Pradesh High Powered Committee to consider the release of prisoners who are above the age of 65 years old or suffering from comorbidities.

The PIL was filed by Man Mohan Mishra, who is a practising advocate at Allahabad High Court.

The petitioner prayed for a direction to the High Court to take effective measures to ensure expeditious disposal of the anticipatory bail applications, parole applications, etc., pending before the courts across the state so as to decongest the overpopulated prisons.

The bench comprising Justice Pritinker Diwakar and Justice Subhash Chandra Sharma has issued notice to the government of Uttar Pradesh and asked to submit its written reply in response to the petition.

The petition said, "The state of the prisons in the state are dismal. The rate of occupancy of 178 per cent in the state prisons is a matter of concern in view of the communicable pandemic."

The petitioner said, "Several applications for bail and appeal are pending before the court for the prisoners who are inhabitants of those high rate occupancy prisons. Due to the limited work flow of the court, the applications for those prisoners cannot be disposed of efficiently in these highly extraordinary conditions."