PANAJI
Goa’s prison system has faced repeated High Court scrutiny this year, from illegal mobile phone use inside Colvale jail to the State’s preparedness to introduce an open-jail system.
In March, the High Court came down heavily on the department for failing to comply with its December 18, 2025 directions to curb mobile phone misuse at Colvale, calling its response an “eyewash”.
In its earlier submission, the Prisons officials had submitted to the court that a time-bound action matrix was prepared, including intensified barrack searches, surprise inspections, stricter entry and exit checks, preservation of CCTV footage and efforts to plug surveillance blind spots. Superintendent of Prisons Sucheta Dessai had even cited the need for government approvals for technology-driven reforms.
By April, the High Court initiated a suo motu PIL on whether Goa was equipped to introduce an open-jail system, observing that while the State may have a modern prison, it did not appear to have a “modern mindset”.
The proceedings followed a Supreme Court ruling directing States and Union Territories to take time-bound steps to establish and expand Open Correctional Institutions. The High Court also noted substantial progress in plugging prison security lapses, while expecting other authorities to cooperate with the jail administration.
