Supreme Court Raises Concern Over Recurring Manual Scavenging Deaths, Issues Contempt Notices To 5 State Chief Secretaries

The Supreme Court today(July 27) issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of five States asking them to showcause why contempt should not be issued against them for their failure to prevent manual scavenging deaths.

In a long-standing public interest litigation filed by Dr Balram seeking to prevent sewer cleaning and manual scavenging, in October 2023, the Supreme Court passed directions to eradicate the menace. It also enhanced the compensation in cases of sewer deaths to Rs. 30 lakhs. Then, in January 2025, it completely banned manual scavenging and sewer cleaning in six metropolitan cities. Since then, it has been monitoring the matter and issuing necessary directions to the authorities when those directions have not been implemented.

Today, a bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Vipul M Pancholi heard the matter on the developments that have taken place so far. Senior Advocate K. Parameshwar (amicus) submitted that despite the 2023 judgment and the further directions, deaths continue to take place. He submitted that 46 deaths have taken place in 2025, and 54 deaths in 2024 as per the data laid before the Parliament in one of the starred questions. 

As for the specific States, he mentioned that Maharashtra has 17 deaths in 2024, Tamil Nadu has 12 deaths, and Rajasthan has 13 deaths. Other States include Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

Hearing that deaths have continued to take place despite the stringent directions on the ban, Justice Kumar said it's time to issue contempt against the authorities. "If deaths have occurred subsequent to our orders, we are going to summon your chief secretaries. We are making it very clear that we are going to initiate suo moto contempt; this can't go on. We have made it absolutely clear that no manual scavenging, still deaths are occuring, you start putting the blame on contractors...we will fix the responsibility. Somewhere it has to stop. We are issuing showcause notice to your Chief Secretaries."

It ordered:

"By an order dated October 2023, amongst other we issued the following directions...On the hearing, subsequently, from time to time certain directions have been issued. One such direction issued regarding deaths due to persons entering sewers or septic tanks is still occurring , and that too in larger numbers. In other words, the directions issued by this Court seem not to have percolated and sufficient remedial steps have not taken place. In fact, starred questions have also been raised on 18.3.2026, and it is recorded as annexure to the starred question number 276 regarding "hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning work" and State-wise deaths during the last three years 2023, 2024 and 2025 are as under.... In view of the same, we hereby call upon the Chief Secretaries of the following States to showcause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated or willfuly disobedience. The same shall be required vide an affidavit within four weeks."

Case Details: DR. BALRAM SINGH v. UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.,|W.P.(C) No. 324/2020