The Maharashtra State Government has taken a policy decision to permanently close all secondary prisons in the state, marking a significant shift in prison administration. This decision effectively ends the existence of secondary prisons; all prisoners will henceforth be accommodated in main prisons at the district level.
A special study group was established on October 17, 2023, to assess the current status of secondary prisons in the state. Based on the final report submitted by this group and the decision taken during a joint meeting held on January 5, 2026—attended by senior secretaries from the Revenue and Home Departments—the government has finalized the decision to close these facilities.
Currently, out of the 116 secondary prisons under the control of the Revenue Department, 80 are already non-functional, while only 36 remain operational. However, it has been observed that even these operational prisons are in a dilapidated state. Against this backdrop, the decision has been made to permanently close all such prisons falling under the Revenue Department’s jurisdiction.
Administrative proceedings to implement this decision have commenced, and orders have been issued to the Home (Prison) Department to transfer prisoners currently held in secondary prisons to the respective district or central prisons. Furthermore, the ‘Secondary Prison Rulebook, 1952,’ which governed the management of these facilities, has been repealed. The 6 sanctioned clerical posts associated with these prisons will now be transferred to the office of the Deputy Inspector General (Prisons). Additionally, financial assistance for the maintenance of these prisons will be discontinued starting from the upcoming financial year
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Maharashtra to Shut 116 Secondary Prisons
Maharashtra has taken a landmark step in prison administration by deciding to permanently close all 116 secondary prisons across the state. Going forward, inmates will be housed in district and central prisons, ensuring better infrastructure, security, and management.
A government-appointed study group found that 80 of these prisons were already non-functional, while the remaining 36 were operating in poor condition. Based on its findings, the state has initiated the process of transferring prisoners to main prison facilities and has repealed the Secondary Prison Rulebook, 1952.
The decision is expected to streamline prison administration, optimize resources, and improve living conditions for inmates. Clerical staff posts linked to secondary prisons will be reassigned to the Prison Department, while maintenance funding for these facilities will be discontinued from the next financial year.
The move marks a major structural reform aimed at modernizing Maharashtra’s correctional system and improving overall governance.
