The Supreme Court today directed the Madras High Court to submit a detailed report on lack of toilet for women lawyers in the Nilgiris Court Complex.
The Vacation Bench of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Rajesh Bindal directed the Registrar General of the High Court to submit the report by June 11.
It observed that while the Registrar General had earlier filed a report in the matter, the report 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 such facilities which were earlier available.
The Apex Court passed the order on an application filed by the Women Lawyers Association of Nilgiris.
Representing the Nilgiris District Bar Association, Senior Advocate V Mohana requested the court to direct a team from High Court to be sent to inspect the matter.
The Senior Counsel argued that the issue was being publicised by a few people, thus bringing disrepute to the entire Nilgiris District Bar Association.
As per Senior Advocate Mohanna, the Women Lawyers Association of Nilgiris was the official association and that the Madras High Court even had a sitting with them.
Some women, who were not satisfied with the outcome, were publicising the issue.
The lawyer urged the top court of the country to send a team from the High Court to inspect, saying that it was bringing disrepute to the entire Nilgiris Bar Association.
Advocate Guru Krishnakumar, who appeared for the Madras High Court, argued that it appeared that the petitioner association with some women lawyers was at loggerheads with the registered association.
The Advocate claimed that toilet complexes had been allotted for women lawyers.
The Apex Court noted that a Writ Petition on the issue was disposed of by a Bench presided over by Chief Justice of India on April 28 this year.
It further took in view the fact that complaints were subsequently raised on behalf of certain women lawyers demanding basic facilities in the same court complex.
The Vacation Bench observed that it appeared that the main concern of women lawyers was over shrinking of the space or facilities allocated to them in the new court complex.
It said this was also reflected in an online news report. The Registry of this Court had subsequently brought to its notice the report of the Registrar General of the High Court of Madras.
However, the report 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 such facilities which were earlier available.
The Apex Court then directed the Registrar General of the High Court to file a detailed report on Sunday and listed the matter for further hearing on June 12.