Why does Maharashtra government need orders to provide basic facilities in lower courts, asks Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday once again rapped the state government for not providing basic facilities at lower courts. "The benefit will not be to any judge but to the common man," the bench said.

A division bench of Justices Abhay Oka and A K Menon also asked, "It is the responsibility of the state to provide elementary facilities. Why does the state need orders of the court to do so?"

The observation was made during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Litigants Association of Maharashtra, pointing out the decripit condition of several courts where toilets are not cleaned for days and clean drinking water is not available.

Government pleader Abhinandan Vangyani informed the court that though bare Acts had been uploaded on the government website, the amended versions will be put up within three months.

During a previous hearing, the court had said that barring a few courts in the state, most have a high footfall, due to which litigants and witnesses have to wait for a long time till their case comes up. While there are space constraints in some courts, a system needs to be worked out to ensure a cleaner environment, said the court.

Recently, the government had sanctioned 179 posts of new judges in the lower courts. However, advocates have raised concerns about accommodation and provision of basic facilities to them. The PIL states that litigants have to go out of court premises to use toilets. The next hearing is on Friday.