Supreme Court Questions Need For Women To Visit Police Stations To Lodge Complaints, Pushes For Online System

During the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) aimed at establishing nationwide guidelines for women's safety, the Supreme Court questioned the Union of India on the absence of a system that allows women to file complaints online. The court raised concerns about the lack of such a mechanism and emphasised the need for improvement. Below, we delve into the details of what transpired during the hearing.

Supreme Court Questions Lack Of Online Portals For Women To Lodge Complaints

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh presided over the matter and granted the Union six weeks to submit a comprehensive counter-affidavit outlining the stance of all relevant ministries. The Supreme Court noted that implementing an online complaint system could address jurisdictional issues related to police stations and eliminate the need for women to visit them in person, according to Live Law.

The Court also urged the petitioner to gather suggestions from women lawyers across the country, particularly those practising in State High Courts, to better understand the local challenges faced by women. These suggestions should then be compiled and submitted to the court.

As per Live Law, the bench stated, "Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents seeks and is granted six weeks' time to file the counter-affidavit. Meanwhile, the petitioner-Association is advised to engage with women lawyers practising in various parts of the country, especially in the State High Courts, and obtain their input regarding local issues faced by women. These suggestions should be collated and placed on record."

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Details About The PIL

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, representing the petitioner, the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association, pointed out that not all respondents had replied to the petition after they were issued notices. She referred to a Times of India report and raised two main concerns. First, she highlighted that even Uber rides are not safe for women, and second, she mentioned a case in Bangalore where a woman had to jump out of an autorickshaw to escape harassment. However, when her husband tried to file a complaint, he had to visit multiple police stations because of issues related to "jurisdiction."

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According to Live Law, on the other hand, the Union of India’s lawyer argued that the demands in the petition were too broad and asked for more time to submit a response. The Court agreed to give them time and, while doing so, Justice Kant emphasised that technical issues like how the requests are worded should not block the progress of the case, especially since some of the concerns are very real and practical. The judge also questioned why there isn’t an online system for women to file complaints, explaining that such a system could solve jurisdiction problems and make it unnecessary for women to go to police stations in person.

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Credits: Freepik