<p>New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday took cognisance of the issue of some women prisoners lodged in West Bengal's correctional homes getting pregnant.</p><p>Agreeing to examine the matter, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Ahsanuddin Amanullah asked senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal to look into the issue and submit a report.</p><p>Agrawal has been assisting the top court as amicus curiae in a matter related to overcrowding in jails.</p><p>The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered the transfer to a criminal division bench of a matter in which the amicus curiae claimed that some women prisoners lodged in West Bengal's correctional homes were getting pregnant and 196 babies were staying at various such facilities.</p><p>Lawyer Tapas Kumar Bhanja, who was appointed amicus curiae by the court in a 2018 suo motu motion on overcrowding in prisons, had submitted a note containing these issues and suggestions before the division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam.</p><p>Observing that the note pointed to "certain serious issues", the high court bench said it stated that women prisoners are getting pregnant while in custody.</p><p>The note by the amicus curiae stated that there are as many as 196 babies staying in different prisons of West Bengal.</p><p>Bhanja has suggested prohibition of entry of male employees of correctional homes into the enclosures of women prisoners.</p>
<p>New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday took cognisance of the issue of some women prisoners lodged in West Bengal's correctional homes getting pregnant.</p><p>Agreeing to examine the matter, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Ahsanuddin Amanullah asked senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal to look into the issue and submit a report.</p><p>Agrawal has been assisting the top court as amicus curiae in a matter related to overcrowding in jails.</p><p>The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered the transfer to a criminal division bench of a matter in which the amicus curiae claimed that some women prisoners lodged in West Bengal's correctional homes were getting pregnant and 196 babies were staying at various such facilities.</p><p>Lawyer Tapas Kumar Bhanja, who was appointed amicus curiae by the court in a 2018 suo motu motion on overcrowding in prisons, had submitted a note containing these issues and suggestions before the division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam.</p><p>Observing that the note pointed to "certain serious issues", the high court bench said it stated that women prisoners are getting pregnant while in custody.</p><p>The note by the amicus curiae stated that there are as many as 196 babies staying in different prisons of West Bengal.</p><p>Bhanja has suggested prohibition of entry of male employees of correctional homes into the enclosures of women prisoners.</p>