Panaji: Goa govt is set to introduce the Goa Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, 2026, in the legislative assembly to implement jail reforms. The proposed law aims to ensure basic human rights for prisoners and to create a Board of Skill Development Programmes and Vocational Training to expand training and rehabilitation opportunities for inmates.The bill seeks to consolidate prison-related laws under a single state framework and introduce a clearer reformatory and correctional focus. It also proposes the appointment of a State Advisory Board for prisons to advise govt on prison management and administration.The draft legislation traces the legal history of prison administration in Goa after Liberation. Goa first became a Union territory under the Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Act, 1961. An ordinance was then issued to provide for the administration of the Union territories of Goa, Daman and Diu and to continue Portuguese laws that were in force before Liberation. This ordinance was replaced by the Goa, Daman and Diu Administration Act, 1962, under which Portuguese laws, including those governing prisons, continued until replaced by corresponding Indian legislation. The Goa, Daman and Diu Removal of Difficulties Order, 1962 was issued to align authorities of the former regime with the new administrative set-up during the transition.On Feb 6, 1962, the Prisons Act, 1894, was extended to the territory. Other central laws were also brought into force, including the Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950, the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920, and the Prisoners Attendance in Courts Act, 1955. Rules were compiled under these laws to regulate jails in Goa, Daman and Diu.The bill notes that the Prisons Act, 1894 is a pre-independence law primarily focused on custody, discipline, and prison order, with no substantive provisions for prisoner reform and rehabilitation. It cites a global shift in thinking over recent decades, where prisons are increasingly viewed as correctional institutions aimed at transforming offenders and reintegrating them into society.Since ‘prisons’ is a state subject under the Constitution, prison management and prisoner administration fall within the exclusive legislative competence of state govts. The ministry of home affairs has identified gaps and obsolete provisions in existing prison laws and has supported reforms through the Prison Manual, 2003 and the Model Prison Manual, 2016. Goa adopted state jail manuals in 2006 and 2021, followed by the Goa Prisons Rules, 2006 and 2021.In May 2023, the ministry finalised the Model Prisons Act, 2023 to replace the Prisons Act, 1894, incorporating relevant provisions from related laws and emphasising welfare measures such as vocational training, after-care, and rehabilitation. The Model Act was circulated to states and Union territories for adoption with suitable modifications. Goa’s bill is based on this model act, with state-specific changes.
