Calcutta High Court Launches On-Premises Creche for Court Community
The Calcutta High Court has taken a significant step towards supporting working parents within its legal ecosystem by operationalizing a dedicated creche facility on its premises. This initiative, detailed in recently issued guidelines, is specifically designed to accommodate children aged six months to five years belonging to High Court staff, practicing lawyers, and litigants.
Facility Details and Operational Guidelines
The creche, which includes a separate breastfeeding section, will function from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM on all working days. It will remain closed on weekends, declared public holidays, and during official court vacations. In a move to ensure health safety, children suffering from any contagious disease or allergy will not be permitted entry into the facility.
Admission is capped at a maximum of four children at any given time, strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents or guardians are required to sign a formal drop-and-pick-up register and must produce the child's original birth certificate for verification. They must also provide a reliable emergency contact number.
Fee Structure and Parental Responsibilities
The court has established a clear fee model for the service. While daily admission is free of charge, a monthly service plan requires an upfront admission fee of Rs 1,000, followed by a monthly care fee of Rs 1,500 paid in advance. For those opting for daily use without a monthly plan, a fee of Rs 100 per day will be applicable.
Parents bear the responsibility of supplying all essential items for their child's care during the stay. This includes prepared food, milk, diapers or nappies, a set of spare clothes, and any necessary prescribed medicines. Information bands for identification are mandatory for all children admitted.
Stringent Safety and Security Protocols
Security is a paramount concern. Children can only be collected by individuals pre-authorized by the parents, who must present valid photo identification at the time of pick-up. Parents are generally barred from remaining inside the creche area except during the brief periods of dropping off, picking up, or for breastfeeding.
The facility will be under constant electronic surveillance. CCTV footage will be reviewed daily by the administrative staff to ensure safety and protocol adherence. The creche will be manned by a comprehensive team, including a medical officer, a trained nurse (as required), two caregivers or ayahs, a creche-in-charge, an assistant creche-in-charge, two administrative officers, and two security personnel (one male and one female).
Background: The Journey from PIL to Implementation
This facility is the direct result of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2019 by three lawyers of the Calcutta High Court. The bench, initially comprising the then Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee, first heard the matter on December 8, 2020.
During proceedings, the court was informed that a room on the fourth floor of the Sesquicentenary Building had already been designated for the creche. However, operational hurdles, primarily the unavailability of trained pediatricians and attendants, prevented its launch at that time.
The matter saw progress on August 9, 2021, when the then Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj were notified that the State Health Secretary had sanctioned one post of a pediatrician, along with a supporting staff nurse and a nodal officer, specifically for the High Court creche.
Later that year, while basic arrangements were confirmed, the need for formal operating guidelines was highlighted. The PIL petitioners also raised a broader point, advocating for the establishment of similar creche facilities in all district and sub-divisional court complexes across the state. The High Court administration subsequently conducted a survey, which revealed that most district courts currently lack such childcare amenities.
The recent guidelines and the creche's opening come in compliance with a High Court order issued in January, which directed the administration to make the facility functional within a strict 30-day deadline, finally bringing this long-pending welfare measure to fruition.
