Mumbai: All-women staff in courts handling rape cases from March 8

The Bombay High Court which has been regularly taking steps to ensure that women's safety and crime against women is brought under control, on Women’s Day has announced that in all courts, specially those handling cases of sexual assault against women, will have all-women staff, including the judicial officer.

The circular has to be implemented by all the district courts from March 8, which is celebrated as International Women’s day. This is in continuation to an earlier direction of the high court directing that all sexual assault cases against women be assigned exclusively to courts presided over by women judicial officers.

As per the circular issued by the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court, SG Shukhre states that “It is a settled law that cases involving sexual assault against women are required to be dealt with greater sensitivity. In these cases, women are the victims of crime and for the purpose of enabling victims to give their evidence in a stress-free atmosphere and without any fear or embarrassment, it is desirable that all staff members— bench clerks, stenographer, interpreter, typist-cum-clerk and the havildar/peons, are women.