Mumbai: A report submitted by the High Court Registrar before Bombay Court’s bench has pointed out lack of facilities for female lawyers, litigants and staff in courts in Maharashtra, Goa as well as Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The report was submitted before a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor. It provides details of the issues faced by women in family courts and district courts.
The high court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Jan Adalat Centre for Paralegal Services and Legal Aid Society. The PIL highlighted the neglect experienced by women in court complexes in the state, including lack of separate bar rooms and clean washrooms.
Common Problems Faced By Women Staff In Court
Some of the common problems witnessed in the majority of the courts were inadequate toilets, no sanitary pad vending and disposal system, lack of child care and nursing facilities, no changing rooms and inadequate seating arrangements.
Almost all court complexes, including those in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, were found to have insufficient restroom facilities for women. Even the existing toilets were found to have insufficient water supply, and their cleanliness was not maintained.
The court, in June this year, had directed the formation of a committee in each district to conduct a survey of infrastructure and security issues. The committee was formed in every district comprising the principal district judge, a female representative from respective bar associations, additional collector from revenue and executive engineer (PWD) of the district.
No Issues Faced By Women Staff In Nagpur, Aurangabad, Etc: Family Court Committee
The committees from family courts at Nagpur, Aurangabad, Buldhana, Jalna, Akola, Jalgaon, Satara and Sindhudurg, and district courts in North Goa, Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli reported that there were no issues faced by female lawyers, litigants and staff. However, the petitioner’s advocate Uday Warunjikar said that they will visit these courts to verify the claims.
The report stated that the city civil and sessions court Mumbai is facing a different issue altogether. Considering it’s a heritage building, no modifications can be carried out in it to provide additional facilities. Some of the remedial measures suggested in the report state that respective executive engineers of the PWD department have been instructed to carry out required repairs, install water dispensers, sanitary pad vending machines, CCTV cameras, and identify space for ladies bar room, toilets and creche in the premises.
