1 CGHC010281272026 2026:CGHC:31387-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPCR No. 405 of 2026 Praveen Ware S/o Virendra Kumar Ware Aged About 28 Years C/o HDD-46 Siddhi Vinayak Chowk Kabir Nagar Raipur Chhattisgarh P.O. 492001 ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Principal Secretary, Home Department C/o Mantralay Mahanadi Bhawan Sector 19 Atal Nagar Naya Raipur Chhattisgarh P.O. 492002 2 - Director General Jail And Corrections Service Raipur State Jail Headquarters Chhattisgarh, C/o Kayabandha Mantralay Mahanadi Bhawan Sector 19 Atal Nagar, Naya Raipur Chhattisgarh P.O 492002 ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : Praveen Ware in person For Respondent(s) : Mr.Praveen Das, Additional Advocate General Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, Judge Order on Board Per Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice 23.07.2026 1. Heard petitioner Praveen Ware in person as well as Mr.Praveen Das, learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the BABLU RAJENDRA BHANARKAR Digitally signed by BABLU RAJENDRA BHANARKAR Date: 2026.07.24 10:25:46 +0530 2 respondents/State. 2. The present writ petition has been filed by the petitioner in person with the following prayers: “10.1 That this Hon'ble Court kindly be pleased to allow this present writ petition. 10.2 That this Hon'ble Court kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to submit a status report disclosing whether the Model Prison Manual, 2016 and/or the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023 have been adopted or implemented in the State of Chhattisgarh. 10.3 That this Hon'ble Court kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to provide a separate fixed timing for Advocate-prisoner meetings, preferably from 3:00 PM to 5:00/6:00 PM, and further extend the timing for submission of Advocate meeting applications to ensure effective and timely legal consultation. 10.4 That this Hon'ble Court kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to permit Advocate-prisoner meetings with convicted prisoners more than once within a fortnight wherever required for legal consultation relating to appeals, revisions, suspension of sentence applications or any other legal proceedings. 10.5 That this Hon'ble Court kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to increase the number of physical visitation counters within prison establishments across the State of Chhattisgarh for regulating prisoner meetings in an efficient and time- bound manner. 10.6 That this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to develop proper infrastructure for confidential Advocate - client consultation, including secure and soundproof physical consultation rooms and confidential non- recorded video conferencing facilities within prisons. 3 10.7 That this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to provide a video conferencing facility for prisoners with family members, ensuring 'within sight but out of hearing' communication. 10.8 That this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to take necessary and effective measures for addressing overcrowding within prison establishments across the State of Chhattisgarh. 10.9 That this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to officially publish and periodically update on the respective government websites the Jail Manual, Prison Rules, notifications, circulars and other governing prison regulatory administration and prisoners rights within the State of Chhattisgarh, in bilingual form (Hindi and English). instruments 10.10 That this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the Respondents to install proper bilingual (Hindi and English) notice boards, awareness materials and facilitation mechanisms within prison premises across the State of Chhattisgarh for ensuring that Advocates, prisoners and their family members have adequate knowledge and awareness regarding the availability, procedure and usage of E- Mulakat and video conferencing facilities. 10.11 That this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to pass any other Order(S) as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.” 3. The reliefs sought in the present writ petition appear to be in the nature of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). 4. Learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the respondents/State has raised a preliminary objection that the prayers made in the writ petition are in the nature of a PIL and, therefore, the 4 present writ petition, as framed, is not maintainable. 5. The petitioner, appearing in person, could not waive out the said preliminary objection. 6. Accordingly, the present writ petition is dismissed on this ground alone. No order as to costs. Sd/- Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) (Ramesh Sinha) Judge Chief Justice Bablu