Chennai: Madras high court has directed the Tamil Nadu prison department to consider the request to provide nine shifts for advocates to interview inmates of Puzhal Central Jail and to allot additional cabins for such interviews.The first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan passed the order on a plea moved by M Tamilazhagan from Kannampalayam, Chennai, seeking to address the inadequate facilities for interviews between advocates and their clients in Puzhal prison.
According to the petitioner, more than 1,000 convicts are housed in the central prison. However, there are only three slots of 30 minutes each daily available for advocates to meet clients. Moreover, there are only 16 cabins available for such interviews, he said.“Before Dec 1, 2025, interviews were held without physical barriers, allowing for more effective communication. However, a new slot system was introduced which, coupled with limited number of cabins, severely curtailed the time available for legal consultations,” petitioner said.The total interview time is restricted to a mere half an hour per slot and there are only three slots daily, which is inadequate for an advocate to take detailed instructions, discuss complex legal issues or prepare for appeal, he said.
