(1.) Introduction
(2.) It is our common experience on Bench handling habeas corpus matters that scores of habeas corpus petitions are filed every day before the Principal seat as well the Madurai Bench, challenging the orders of detention passed under Act 14 of 1982. These petitions are admitted and are taken up after about 4-6 six months, owing to the existing backlog of cases, and are inevitably allowed directing the release of the detenues.
(3.) During the hearing of these cases, we thought it fit to have a look at the 'Prison Statistics India Report 2021' of the National Crime Records Bureau of the Ministry of Home Affairs. At page-xiii of the said report, the following conclusion is found: 'Tamil Nadu has reported the maximum number of detenues (51.2%, 1,775) in the country followed by Telangana (11.4%, 396) and Gujarat (10.7%, 372) at the end of 2021'.