At the onset of May, the Supreme Court ordered the release of prisoners due to the second wave of COVID-19. Only last year the court had order states to establish a High Powered Committee to ensure decongestion of prisons. But with a slump in cases, many high courts across India ordered prisoners to surrender and return. Despite the surge in cases, the infirm condition of Indian prisons such as overcrowding and poor medical facilities continues to be a norm. Can the latest order by the Apex Court bring about any substantial change in prisons?