Jahanvi Agarwal
In Udhagamandalam (Ooty), a new combined court complex was inaugurated which contained eight court buildings, chambers for lawyers, two rooms for paralegals, a room for the judges’ drivers, a vulnerable victim’s room, a convention hall, etc. Surprisingly, there was also a plush ‘bedroom’ with a queen size bed and a chaise longue.
Overall, the new court complex contained everything however it does not include one very crucial thing i.e., a toilet facility for women lawyers who practice there. The women lawyer practicing in Ooty never had access to women’s toilets in the court complex.
It is disturbing to hear that the women lawyers who have been practicing in Ooty for 20-25 years have to control their water intake or have to hold their pee for hours or are forced to go to the houses of their friends and family living closer to the courts in order to use the toilets.
On March 8, 2018, International Women’s Day, a group of female lawyers made the decision to leave the Nilgiris Bar Association and formally rename themselves the Nilgiris Women Lawyers’ Association. They decided to agitation for a women’s restroom and a designated area where they can sit, eat, and dress in and out of their gowns.
On January 26th, 2023 the female lawyers went on hunger strike and were given threats that they are fighting against the judiciary and were forced to call off owing threats of suspension and other consequences.
On February 17, 2023, Justices VM Velumani and J Sathyanarayana Prasad of the Madras High Court toured the new building. After scanning the entire building, Justice Velumani noticed an empty room, which she immediately requested be given to the female lawyers for sole use. The room also had an attached toilet. However, three days later, that room and the washroom were shut with some of the lawyers’ items still inside.
On April 29, a Bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha disposed of the petition brought by the Nilgiris Women Lawyers’ Association. The Madras High Court’s plea that the required actions had been taken to resolve the complaints was noted by the court. Senior Advocate Guru Krishnakumar delivered the submission on behalf of the Madras High Court.
The association was given permission by the court to address either the district judge or the Registrar General of the High Court if any unresolved problems or complaints still exist. The District Judge acted the next day, women were given two decorated rooms that were initially intended as lawyer’s offices.
The female lawyers stated that the two rooms they had been promised ever since the Supreme Court hearing had a board with the Association’s name on it put above them. Even that board was taken down on May 22 of this year as a result of a Justice N Satish Kumar inspection from the Madras High Court.
They then presented a case before Abdul Khader, the new district judge. The meeting with the new judge, however, produced no conclusive answers. The two rooms, along with the toilet that they had previously been provided, are now once more locked.