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A writ petition filed on this issue was disposed of in April after the Supreme Court was informed by the High Court that required steps had been taken.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought a report from the Madras High Court on the alleged lack of female toilets on the Niligiris Court Complex.
Notably, a writ petition was instituted by the Women Lawyers Association of Nilgiris, raising certain grievances relating to availability of basic amenities in the new court complex.
In April, CJI DY Chandrachud had disposed of the main writ petition instituted by the petition institution after noting that Senior Counsel Guru Krishnakumar, appearing on behalf of the High Court of Judicature at Madras, had submitted that necessary steps have been taken.
"If the petitioner has any subsisting grievance, it would be at liberty to either move the District Judge or, as the case may be, the Registrar General of the High Court so that the grievance can be looked into... The petition is disposed", the CJI had ordered then.
A miscellaneous application was then listed by the court on its own motion after taking into account a news item dated 6 June, 2023 carrying the headline “these women lawyers of Nilgiris have been demanding toilet in court complex for 25 years.”
A vacation bench noted that the present report of the Registrar General, High Court of Madras did not explain in detail in what manner the facilities for women lawyers were being provided for in the new court complex and as to whether there was any shrinkage of any basic facility or amenity in the new court complex.
"Let a more detailed report be filed by the Registrar General of the Madras High Court. Such report should reach the Registry of this Court by Sunday through the electronic mode and this matter shall be listed on 12.06.2023. This Court shall consider passing appropriate orders on going through the fresh report.", ordered a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal.
Senior Advocate V Mohana, appearing for the Nilgiris District Bar Association, requested the bench to direct a team from the High Court to be sent to inspect the matter as the issue was being publicised by a select few to bring disrepute to the entire Bar Association.
Court has also permitted the Nilgiris District Bar Association to assist it, considering the scope of the present proceeding.
Case Title: WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF NILGIRIS vs. THE REGISTRAR, MADRAS HIGH COURT & ANR.
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