26% Of Court Complexes In India Don't Have Separate Ladies' Toilets: Union Law Minister Informs Rajyasabha

Law Minister was responding to a query raised by Rajyasabha MP S. Niranjan Reddy as to whether Government is aware that most of the court complexes especially at the subordinate level are not equipped with safe private places and washrooms available to women lawyers and women litigants.

The MP also raised the following two queries with the Government:

(b) whether Government intends to bring out any policy for creating such facilities; and

(c) whether Government intends to make any amendment to the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for the judiciary to specifically make provisions for woman lawyers and litigants.

Responding to this, the Union Law Minister, in his written reply, stated that as per the data compiled by the Registry of the Supreme Court of India on the status of judicial infrastructure and court amenities, 74% of court complexes have separate ladies' toilets while 26% of court complexes do not have separate ladies' toilet.

The Union Law Minister further said that the primary responsibility of the development of infrastructure facilities for the judiciary rests with the state governments and to augment the resources of the state governments, the Union Government has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary by providing financial assistance to state governments / UTs in the prescribed fund-sharing pattern between the Centre and states.

"The scheme is being implemented since 1993-94, and it has been extended from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 9000 crores including the central share of Rs. 5307.00 crores. Besides the construction of court halls and residential quarters, the scheme now also covers the construction of lawyers' halls, digital computer rooms and toilet complexes in the district and subordinate courts," the Law Minister's reply further reads.

It may be noted that last year in December 2021 too, the Law Minister informed the Rajyasabha that 26% of court complexes in India do not have a separate toilet for women.