The Delhi High Court has laid emphasis on maintaining cleanliness in various lower court complexes in the Capital, while observing that the lawyers as well as litigants had an important role in ensuring good hygienic conditions so that visitors have a pleasant experience.
Hearing a public interest litigation on the subject, a Division Bench said earlier this week that the Tis Hazari courts complex, which was one of the oldest buildings in Delhi, could be a model for other courts.
The Bench asked the Public Works Department to provide details on whether its project for maintenance included basic amenities like water and toilets, besides making the court buildings disabled-friendly.
The Bench, comprising Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, said if something new was being constructed for the welfare of court staff and litigants, everyone should keep their place of work clean.
The PIL before the Court raised the issue of construction of a water fountain at Tis Hazari courts complex, while contending that the money should instead be utilised for providing basic amenities like water and toilets and making them disabled-friendly.
Some photographs were submitted to the Bench during the hearing, depicting the lack of cleanliness as well as bad state of toilets on the trial court premises.
The Court asked the PWD to file a comprehensive affidavit with regard to development works being carried out in different court complexes.
Posting the case for further hearing on September 16, the Bench sought the presence of the representative of Bar Associations of district courts in the hearing. “If the representatives of the bar bodies are not here, we will conclude that they are least bothered about cleanliness of the court complex,” remarked the Bench.
The PWD counsel told the Court that the department was only an executing agency and the work had to be assigned by the District Judge of each court.
The writ petition, moved by Pankaj Yadav, alleged that the fountain in Tis Hazari complex was being constructed at a cost of Rs.50 lakh to Rs.1 crore.
