duty of the State to look after health of the inmates in the jails

In Sujata Mukunda Manerao Vs. State of Maharashtra & ors. [ 2004 ACJ 11023 ], the Division Bench of this Court has observed that : “7. It is bounden duty of the State to look after health of the inmates in the jails since they cannot take treatment on their own and for the purpose of treatment, they are at the mercy of the hospital authorities. Proper medical aid to the inmates is a ::: Uploaded on - 08/03/2023 ::: Downloaded on - 09/03/2023 13:50:07 ::: Cri.W.P. No.1464/2015 :: 9 :: right available to them under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Apex Court in P.B. Khet Mazdoor Samity’s case (supra) has laid down that Article 21 imposes an obligation on the State to safeguard the right to life of every person. Preservation of human life is thus of paramount importance and failure on the part of a Government hospital to provide timely medical treatment to a person in need of such treatment results in violation of his right to life guaranteed under Article 21. It is also laid down by the Supreme Court in the said judgment that it is well settled that adequate compensation can be awarded by the Court for such violation by way of redress in proceeding under Articles 32 and 226 of the Constitution.