UP govt bans use of smart watches, smart bands in jails

Effective immediately, the Department of Corrections has banned the use of smartwatches and smart bands by prison employees across the state.

Director General of Prisons Anand Kumar, while issuing the order on Friday, said that such devices are often paired with mobile phones and can be used for communication, hence their use must be stopped immediately.

It should be noted that in 2019, the prison department banned the use of mobile phones on prison premises by both officials and non-officials. The latest order states that an inspection found that prison officers and staff were using smartwatches/wristbands instead of wristwatches.

"Such devices are paired with mobile phones and work like mobile phones, so their use as a communication tool cannot be ruled out," Kumar said. Kumar further said that under no circumstances will an official or prison employee or even a non-official official be allowed to wear a smartwatch or wristband in a UP jail.

The Directorate General of Prisons also added that the compliance of the same has to be ensured by the DIGs of the Shooting Ranges Prisons, and they have to carry out regular inspection of them.