Bombay High Court Calls For State's Response On Plea Seeking Safety Measures For Female Students Attending College Near Slum Area

The Bombay High Court has asked the State of Maharashtra to submit an affidavit regarding the measures it has taken to ensure the safety and security of female students attending college at Matunga, Mumbai.

The Girls' College in question is managed by the Seva Mandal Education Society (petitioner no.2). The petitioner-society contended that as the college is surrounded by slums, there is a possibility of danger against the girl students.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar remarked “The security and safety of all the students, and that of girl students particularly in the area, require special measures to be taken for the reason that the petitioners in the said writ petition have asserted that the area is surrounded by slums and possibilities of mischiefs posing danger to the security and safety of the girl students cannot be denied.”

The petitioner-society also raised concerns about the construction of a foot-over bridge near the college. It was contended that the use of the bridge poses security and safety concerns to the female students.

During the hearing, the Court noted that it had previously directed the State-respondent to file an affidavit detailing the measures taken by the Matunga police to ensure the safety of female students.

However, after reading the affidavit, the Court noted that the affidavit only contains general measures which the police take for maintaining law and order. It stated that no specific details have been mentioned in the affidavit with respect to specific measures which need to be taken by the Batunga police to safeguard the girl students.

“…what we find is that general assertions have been made in respect of the steps and measures which are normally taken by any police station for maintaining the law and order situation and for effectively performing other duties assigned to the police department. However, no specific details have been mentioned in the said affidavit as to the specific measures which need to be taken for ensuring safety and security of the girl students attending Girls College being managed by petitioner No.2-Seva Mandal Education Society” it said.

It thus directed an additional affidavit to be filed by the State-respondent detailing the measures which are in place or which the local police intends to put in place to ensure the safety of female students,

Further, noting that the footbridge in question has already been constructed, the Court said that the affidavit should also contain the measures which the local police may take to ensure the safety of female students on account of the use of the bridge.

The Court directed the affidavit to be filed within two weeks. It stated that the affidavit has to be personally vetted by the Police Commissioner before being filed.

Case title: Gujarati Kelavani Mandal & Anr. vs. The General Manager, Central Railway & Ors. (WRIT PETITION NO.1300 OF 2024)

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