“Courts are our last hope”: Mehbooba Mufti urges judicial reforms for J&K prisoners
Srinagar, Nov 3: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday made an emotional appeal for judicial reforms in Jammu and Kashmir, describing the plight of prisoners lodged in jails across India as a “humanitarian crisis” rather than a political issue.
Speaking to reporters outside the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the former Chief Minister said, “Courts are our last hope.” She urged the judiciary to intervene and ensure justice, compassion, and constitutional safeguards for hundreds of Kashmiri youth incarcerated in distant states.
“Behind every number and every case, there is a story — a mother waiting for her son, a father growing old in silence, a child sleeping each night without knowing when their parent will return,” Mehbooba said, calling the situation deeply painful and unjust.
The PDP chief stressed that the issue transcends politics and must be addressed as a question of humanity and fairness. She said the young men jailed outside J&K are “not statistics but sons of this soil” who deserve dignity, fair trials, and an opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Mehbooba Mufti called upon the Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court to take note of systemic flaws in the region’s criminal justice system. She proposed a series of reforms including:
Local Lodgement: Prisoners from J&K should be kept in local prisons so that families can visit them and trials can proceed fairly.
Speedy Trials: She emphasized that “justice delayed is justice denied,” urging the judiciary to uphold Article 21 of the Constitution guaranteeing the right to life and liberty.
Transparency in Trials: The accused, she said, must be allowed to attend every hearing to ensure transparency.
Bail, Not Jail: She reiterated the principle that detention should be an exception, not the norm.
Remission, Parole & Furlough: Mehbooba said these are legal rights that must not be treated as “political favours.”
Medical Bail: Should be considered a constitutional safeguard for the ailing.
Implementation of Jail Manuals: Prisons, she said, should reform lives rather than destroy them.
“For years, our youth have been languishing in prisons in Agra, Bareilly, Haryana and other states,” she said. “Their families neither have the means nor the strength to travel such long distances. Trials are delayed, hearings are held in their absence, and justice remains out of reach. This is not the idea of justice our Constitution envisions.”
Reaffirming her belief in the judicial system, Mehbooba expressed optimism that the courts would ultimately uphold justice and human dignity.
“We have faith in our judiciary and hope in our courts. I believe the day is not far when justice will prevail, and our courts will ensure the ‘Ghar Wapsi’ — the return of all J&K prisoners to their homeland,” she concluded.
