Pune : Bombay High Court Establishes Panel to Address Concerns of Women Lawyers, Litigants, and Staff
By: Pune Pulse
July 3, 2023
Pune: In response to a writ petition filed by Jan Adalat Centre for Para Legal Services and Legal Aid Society, the Bombay High Court has ordered all district-level judges to examine the facilities required at state district courts and submit a detailed report by August 9, 2023.
As per information shared by Sagar Newase, President, Jan Adalat Centre for Para Legal Services And Legal Aid Society, in 2016 a committee was appointed to find out the problems faced in the district courts like lack of sitting spaces for lawyers, absence of sufficient lockers, no designated places to eat, no clean drinking water facility, parking problems, no health facilities, unhygienic toilets, lack of CCTV etc. Since 2018, the organization has been following up but these problems were being ignored. Hence, the Bombay High Court has taken cognizance of the issue and has issued orders to all district judges.
There are a mixed reaction from female lawyers regarding this decision.
Nanda Humbre, Advocate, Shivajinagar District and Sessions Court, Pune said, “I am glad that the High Court has finally noticed this situation and given orders as for many years, several female lawyers in Pune court have been demanding basic facilities like clean toilets, free sanitary pad machines, cleanliness courtrooms etc. As of now, female lawyers have to spend maintenance money on toilets from their own pockets. Apart from lawyers, many women come to the court every day. They face inconvenience due to a lack of basic facilities in the court. After filing several applications, the PWD department once came to inspect the situation but no solution was chalked out.”
Swati Yadwadkar, Advocate, Shivajinagar District and Sessions Court, Pune said, “We need immediate solutions about providing the basic facilities in courts. Regarding toilets, the buildings inside the court premises are very far from each other & very few buildings have toilets. Hence, along with female lawyers, other women coming to the court face inconvenience of going from one building to another. There is no provision for mobile toilets as well which is a constitutional right. There are no free sanitary napkin machines in the court. Even schools have this basic facility nowadays. There are toilets in the bar room, but the lawyers have to spend money on their maintenance. These toilets are given to court officers/workers. But when other people come there due to no other toilets, we have to refuse them. If the case is too delicate like if a pregnant woman or an old woman etc, we allow them usage of the toilets. Actually, every floor of every building must have toilets. But, if not that, at least on the ground floor of every building, a toilet must be there. Hence, by simply giving orders to district judges is not the solution. The facilities should be provided immediately.”
