Allahabad High Court
U.P.Workers Front Thru President Mr. ... vs U.O.I.Thru Secy.Ministry Of Women ... on 3 April, 2024
Author: Rajan Roy
Bench: Rajan Roy
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD, LUCKNOW BENCH ?Neutral Citation No. - 2024:AHC-LKO:27385-DB Court No. - 2 Case :- PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL) No. - 24835 of 2020 Petitioner :- U.P.Workers Front Thru President Mr. Dinkar Kapoor Respondent :- U.O.I.Thru Secy.Ministry Of Women Andchild Development And Ors. Counsel for Petitioner :- Nitin Kumar Mishra,Vijay Kumar Dwivedi Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C.,A.S.G.,Mahendra Kumar Mishra Hon'ble Rajan Roy,J.
Hon'ble Om Prakash Shukla,J.
Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. Mahendra Kumar Mishra, learned counsel for Union of India and Mr. Indrajeet Shukla, learned Additional Chief Standing Counsel for the State.
This petition styled as Public Interest Litigation has been filed seeking following reliefs:
"I. Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of certiorari quashing the impugned order dated 16.09.2020 passed by Respondent No.2, as contained in Annexure No.4 to this writ petition.
II. Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus commanding thereby to operate the women helpline 181 as per the guidelines of Government of India as an independent scheme which was directed under the protocol issued by Respondent No.2 vide order dated 26.10.2017, III. Issue any other order or orders which this Hon'ble Court may deem just and proper in the circumstances of the case."
In nutshell, the contention of petitioner's counsel is that earlier a women helpline number bearing Telephone No. 181 was provided to deal with the various issues of women. Subsequently, this has been merged with Telephone No. 112 which is the general helpline number operated by the police personnel to provide help to women.
Counsel for the petitioner says that this should not be in the hand of the police as was recommended by the Justice J.S. Verma Committee constituted after the Nirbhaya case which in fact had recommended that it should be run by an independent agency and not by the police authorities.
Learned Additional Chief Standing Counsel, Mr. Indrajeet Shukla, says that as per counter affidavit of the State Authorities the helpline number is functioning independently, but, only the infrastructure of police helpline 112 is being used.
Counsel for the petitioner disputes these facts.
We do not wish to enter into this controversy, but, leave it open for the petitioner to approach the concern authority. These all are policy matters and it is for the State authorities to consider these aspects.
Petitioner is at liberty to approach the Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow giving his suggestions in this regard, but, we do not see as to how we can order implementation of the report of a Committee referred hereinabove.
Petition is disposed of in the aforesaid terms.
[Om Prakash Shukla, J.] [Rajan Roy, J.] Order Date :- 3.4.2024 Santosh/-