The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation seeking a direction that pregnant women be provided an online mechanism to avail the lower-berth reservation facility available under the existing railway reservation policy.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia sought response of the Union Government, Railway Board and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

The matter will now be heard on September 30.

The petition, filed by advocate Anunay Sahay, contends that while pregnant women are recognised as a category entitled to preferential consideration for lower berths, the IRCTC website and mobile application do not provide an equivalent digital facility to book such berths.

According to the plea, pregnant women seeking the benefit are required to approach a physical Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counter, whereas other categories entitled to preferential lower-berth facilities can access corresponding facilities through the online platform.

“That the prohibition effectively compels the pregnant women to approach a physical Passenger Reservation System counter and undertake a process which is not imposed upon similarly situated categories enjoying preferential lower-berth facilities through the Respondent No. 3 's online system,” the plea states.

The petition argues that the requirement of physically visiting a reservation counter causes avoidable hardship and creates a distinction between pregnant women booking through the PRS counter and those seeking to use IRCTC's digital platform.

The plea further says that pregnant women should be able to access public transportation facilities in a manner that reasonably accommodates the physical realities of pregnancy.

It argues that compelling such women to undertake an additional physical process for a facility intended to accommodate those requirements creates avoidable hardship.

The petition seeks a direction to the authorities to provide an effective online mechanism for pregnant women to seek allocation of lower berths, subject to availability and reasonable verification.

It also seeks directions to modify the IRCTC website and mobile application and to devise a technologically feasible verification mechanism without requiring pregnant women to mandatorily approach a physical reservation counter merely to avail the facility.

Title: ANUNAYSAHAY v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS