A Kerala-based activist whose earlier petition on prison conditions led the Supreme Court to set up a high-powered committee has proposed a system allowing disabled prisoners to self-identify and declare their disabilities. The written submissions, filed by advocates on behalf of petitioner Sathyan Naravoor, stated that states have a duty under Section 7 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act to shield such persons from violence or exploitation. The documents were presented to the committee led by former Supreme Court judge Justice S. Ravindra Bhat. They noted that persons with disabilities face heightened risks from both staff and other inmates. The submissions called for mechanisms enabling self-identification at entry, followed by appropriate medical verification. Standardised assessments by specialists were recommended for those claiming intellectual disabilities. Prison records should note each case individually to allow reasonable adjustments while maintaining confidentiality, in line with the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023. The petitioner highlighted that the National Crime Records Bureau does not track seven of the eight disability categories under the Act. Open correctional institutions were described as better suited to meet required adjustments. The filings also stressed greater mental health needs among disabled inmates and referenced minimum service standards under related rules. Persons with intellectual disabilities were identified as particularly overlooked, facing barriers to legal aid and rule compliance.
