In a significant crackdown, the Ahmedabad police have registered cases against fifteen men for the act of public urination since November 19. This action is part of a broader 30-day drive focused on women's safety, aiming to curb behaviors that make women uncomfortable in public spaces.
Police Drive Targets Unacceptable Public Behavior
The initiative, launched by the detection of crime branch's mahila cell, seeks to reclaim public spaces for women. Assistant Commissioner of Police (mahila cell) Himala Joshi explained that the drive stems from interactions with young women, college students, and parents, who highlighted various factors causing discomfort. Beyond public urination, 29 men have also been booked under Gujarat Police Act sections for using obscene language and causing public disturbances.
All 15 cases related to public urination involve combinations of Sections 110, 117, and 115(a) of the Gujarat Police Act (GPA). These sections collectively criminalize indecent or disorderly conduct and committing a nuisance in or near a street. The police describe this as an exploration of new applications of existing laws to address women's lived experiences.
Legal Debate: Nuisance vs. Sexual Crime
However, this stringent approach has sparked a debate among legal experts and activists. They caution against legally equating a civic nuisance with a sexual offence. Jharna Pathak, secretary of the Ahmedabad Women's Action Group, stated, "Public urination may make a woman uncomfortable, but it is a behavioural issue that needs correction. Such an act cannot be considered flashing and/or sexual harassment. If this is the way police interpret the law, it is a dangerous trend."
Advocate Ajj H Murjani pointed out the legal contention, noting, "When the same conduct is already classified by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) as a minor civic offence, invoking criminal provisions becomes legally contentious." Notably, the AMC routinely imposes a fine of Rs 100 for public urination as a civic violation.
Infrastructure Deficit Compounds the Problem
The crackdown also brings into sharp focus the city's severe shortage of public sanitation facilities. Ahmedabad, a city with an estimated 80 lakh (8 million) residents, is serviced by a meager 289 public pay-and-use toilets and 165 community toilets. This translates to roughly one toilet for every 18,000 citizens, a statistic that underscores the infrastructure challenge behind the behavioral issue.
The cases have been registered across East and West mahila police stations. Specific instances include:
- The first FIR was registered on November 15 against a 30-year-old labourer from Ambawadi during early patrolling.
- On November 21, a 35-year-old man from Vastral was booked for relieving himself near a girls' hostel close to Surdhara Circle in Memnagar, an area in the West Zone.
- On November 29, a 35-year-old rickshaw driver was booked for urinating on the wall of the Calico Museum in the Central Zone.
The police drive, which began on November 19 and is rooted in the concept of "reclamation of public spaces for women," continues to patrol and take action. While the intent to enhance women's safety is clear, the strategy of applying criminal provisions to an act also deemed a minor civic offence, coupled with the glaring lack of facilities, presents a complex urban and legal challenge for Ahmedabad.
