The Delhi High Court has said that an exclusive toilet facility specially earmarked for female faculty members in the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) is to be used by all female faculty members, and no particular person shall be allowed to put any lock and key on it.

Justice Mini Pushkarna took on record the statement made by the varsity that the toilet on the second floor shall be designated exclusively for female faculty members and female PWD.

The Court was dealing with a plea filed Professor Sujata Ashwarya, serving as a Senior Professor at JMI.

The counsel appearing for the varsity handed over to the Court a document to submit that a decision was taken that in every building on first floor, a female staff toilet shall be designated exclusively for the female staff.

The counsel appearing for Ashwarya submitted that though on the second floor of one of the buildings, a toilet existing therein has been designated for female faculty members and for PWD, however, the same has been made available to both males and females.

The Court took on record the statement made by JMI that the toilet in question should be exclusively for females only. It also recorded the statement that the aforesaid facility shall be made available within a period of one week.

The varsity also undertook that they shall make separate arrangements for male PWD.

“Needless to state that the exclusive toilet which have been earmarked for the female faculty members is to be used by all the female faculty members, and no particular person shall be allowed to put any lock and key on the said toilet,” the Court said while disposing of the plea.

It was Ashwarya's case that there was a restroom facility in the Centre for West Asian Studies, which she had been using and that its access was regulated by keeping it under lock and by making the key available only to some employees.

She said that once the facility is ceased to be treated as a restricted facility and became open to indiscriminate common use, the conditions of hygiene deteriorated, rendering it difficult for her to use the facility with dignity and comfort.

Title: PROF SUJATA ASHWARYA v. JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA & ORS

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