SC to have well-equipped operational creche facility from May 1
What's the story
The Supreme Court is going to have a well-equipped creche facility in its new spacious annex building premises from May 1 as the apex court has approved new guidelines for regulating the facility.
The facility will be available for members of SC Bar Association, SC Advocates-on-Record Association, and female registered clerks engaged by AORs/senior advocates, clerks-of-advocates, SCBA staff, and officers and employees of registry.
Approval
Bench approves draft application registration form
A bench of justices Ranjan Gogoi and R Banumathi approved draft application registration form, draft circular, and revised norms/guidelines for the creche in the SC.
Norms governing the creche including the question of charges would be reconsidered once it becomes operational and posted the matter for further hearing on July 10.
It directed the registry to outsource the facility through Ministry of WCD.
Area of new creche
New creche facility will be spread over 2000sqft
After a go-ahead from the bench, SC registry has issued a notification saying creche facility currently functioning at chamber number 8 and 9 of New Lawyers Chamber building will be shifted to new annex building.
The new facility will be spread over 2000sqft with a 500sqft open garden.
Children from age of 6 months to 6 years will be admissible for creche facility.
Total seats
Creche will accommodate maximum 30 children
The notification said creche shall admit up to a maximum of 30 children instead of 10 children at present.
Of 30 seats, three seats shall be kept vacant for accommodating children desirous of availing creche facility for a day or two and for children as may be recommended by SC Mediation Centre and 27 seats will be filled by admitting children on regular basis.
Seat allotment
Supreme Court earmarks creche seats for staffs' children
Earmarking the seats, the notification said SCBA including staff will have 12 seats for their children, 12 for registry's staff, 3 for children of advocates' clerks, 3 for a guest child for a day or two.
The admission fee is Rs. 1,000, care fee per month payable in advance will be Rs. 1,500 and the charges per child per day will be Rs. 100.
Creche timings
Creche will be available from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm
The facility will function from May 1 from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm on all working days of the registry from Mondays to Fridays and from 8.30 am to 2 pm on all working Saturdays.
The court had earlier asked all stakeholders to hold a meeting with the officials of the apex court registry to evolve the modalities of creche facility.
PIL
Advocate Anindita Pujari filed petition in this regard
SC directions had come on a PIL filed by advocate Anindita Pujari seeking more facilities like separate rooms so that more children could be kept there by working parents.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, who represents the petitioner in the case, had earlier contended that the fee structure for the service was discouraging many working parents from taking the services of the child care unit.