Recently the Delhi High Court, while dealing with a plea concerning unhygienic washrooms in the Saket District Court complex, held that sanitation within court premises is a core institutional obligation and not a peripheral convenience. Disposing of the petition, the Court underscored that the condition of basic facilities in judicial spaces directly implicates constitutional guarantees of dignity and equality, reinforcing accountability of civic authorities responsible for court infrastructure.
The matter arose from a petition filed by a woman advocate who pointed to severely unsanitary conditions in the lawyers’ chamber block at Saket, citing non-functional toilet seats, insufficient water supply, and damaged washroom doors. She asserted that despite submitting formal representations in 2024, no corrective measures were taken.
During the hearing, counsel for the Public Works Department informed the Court that compliance steps had been undertaken pursuant to earlier directions concerning maintenance of toilets at the Dwarka and Saket court complexes, and further assured that women’s washrooms across all court complexes would be maintained in hygienic condition.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, in an order dated February 25 and released subsequently, framed the issue as one of constitutional significance rather than administrative neglect. The Court observed that judicial complexes are “constitutional spaces” where citizens assert rights and public functions are performed. It categorically held that “Clean and accessible washrooms are, therefore, to be considered not as peripheral amenities but as foundational requirements of a functional justice system.”
Stressing that equality under Articles 14 and 15 cannot remain symbolic, the Court disposed of the petition in view of the assurances recorded, while expecting sustained compliance with maintenance obligations.
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