The Supreme Court has directed that exclusive women’s bar rooms with washrooms and basic amenities be provided wherever women advocates practise in district, sub-divisional and taluka courts, irrespective of their numbers, and has made the Attorney General for India the nodal authority for compliance.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday, October 26, 2026, directed States and High Courts to provide exclusive women’s bar rooms with washrooms and basic amenities in district, sub-divisional and taluka courts wherever women advocates practise, irrespective of their numbers, with the States to allocate funds and land where required and the High Court infrastructure committees to give priority to implementation [Sarika Tyagi v. Union of India].
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant heard the writ petition, W.P.(C) No. 770/2026. The Court made Attorney General R. Venkataramani the nodal authority to consolidate progress reports and coordinate compliance, with the facilities preferably following a uniform pattern across the country. The matter will be heard next on December 2.
How the case reached here
The petition by women advocates grew out of a nationwide survey of court complexes, which found that most lacked a dedicated ladies’ bar room or offered inadequate facilities. On June 19, 2026, a bench of the Chief Justice and Justice V. Mohana linked basic infrastructure for women advocates to the right to life and dignity under Article 21, sought the views of the Attorney General and the Advocates General of the States, and endorsed a proposal for a fund to support young advocates.
On July 17, 2026, a bench of the Chief Justice and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, with the Advocates General of the States and Union Territories present, turned to washrooms in all courts. It said access to washrooms is a basic right and that a revenue deficit is no excuse. It asked States and Union Territories to file affidavits within six weeks and to begin construction through their public works departments within four weeks of the Advocates General’s reports reaching the State governments. Senior Advocate Monika Gussain raised the placement of new washrooms next to ladies’ bar rooms, and Justice Bagchi said washrooms should come first.
What happened at the hearing
Attorney General Venkataramani told the Court that on September 17 he had called a meeting of all the Advocates General, where the two issues took considerable time. Some reports had come, he said, and in many States there were programmes of their own, which he had asked them to consolidate. He proposed a second round of meetings by the end of October to make sure the facilities are provided.
The amicus told the Bench that out of 69 respondents, 21 had filed status reports, and that the affidavit of the Gujarat High Court was the best received so far because it covered both ladies’ bar rooms and washroom facilities. Pressing for compliance, the Chief Justice said:
This is the mandate. We don’t want to deviate from that.
The directions
The Court directed that exclusive women’s bar rooms with washrooms and basic amenities be provided wherever women advocates practise in district, sub-divisional and taluka courts, regardless of how many women advocates practise there. States must allocate funds and land wherever required, and the High Court infrastructure committees must prioritise implementation. The Attorney General will consolidate the progress reports, coordinate compliance across States and High Courts, and work towards a uniform pattern for the facilities.
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Case Title: Sarika Tyagi v. Union of India [W.P.(C) No. 770/2026]
Bench: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant (bench led by), Supreme Court of India
Date of Hearing: October 26, 2026
Appearances: Attorney General R. Venkataramani; the amicus curiae; Senior Advocate Monika Gussain for the petitioners (at earlier hearing)