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A significant directions was issued by the Allahabad High Court on Thursday. Court directed the standing Counsel to seek instructions on how many police stations in the state of Uttar Pradesh did not have toilets for women.

The Division Bench of Justice Jayant Banerji and Justice Sanjay Yadav was hearing a plea by the students of various Law Colleges, seeking direction to the Uttar Pradesh Government “to ensure the construction of ladies toilets in the Police Stations where it is not constructed along with all necessary facilities like toiletries running water, electricity, fan, doorknob with keeping in view the privacy and dignity of women.”

The public interest litigation has sought following directions:

"i) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of MANDAMUS directing/commanding the respondents to ensure the construction of ladies toilets in the Police Stations where it is not constructed along with all necessary facilities like toiletries running water, electricity, fan, doorknob with keeping in view the privacy and dignity of women.

ii) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of MANDAMUS directing/commanding the respondents to complete the semi constructed/damaged/incomplete toilets in the Police Stations of Allahabad City and after building should provide basic facilities like toiletries, running water, electricity, doorknob with keeping in mind the privacy and dignity of women.

iii) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of MANDAMUS directing/commanding the respondents no.5, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to constitute a monitoring committee headed by a women police officer and consisting of Police Inspector, SI, Constable for the inspection of the toilets in the police stations in the Allahabad city and place its report before the SSP Allahabad periodically under the monitoring of the High Court.

iv) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of MANDAMUS directing/commanding the Respondent no.1 and 2 State of Uttar Pradesh Through Principal Secretary (Home) Lucknow and Director General of Police (DGP), Lucknow, and Uttar Pradesh to make sufficient budgetary allocation for the construction and maintenance of washrooms and toilets in the police stations."

The matter has been directed to be listed as fresh in the week commencing 15th February 2021.

Case title - Anjali Pandey And 12 Others Respondent versus State Of U.P. And 5 Others [Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. - 228 of 2021]