NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the authorities concerned to “be sensitive” and provide appropriate and adequate facilities in night shelters to protect its inhabitants from the “chilling cold.”
A bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notices to the central government, the Delhi government and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and directed them to inform the court by Wednesday about the steps taken by them to equip dwellers against severe cold.
The bench passed the directions while taking up the issue referred by another bench of the high court, which took suo motu cognisance of the “pitiable conditions” faced by patients, attendants and their relatives who were forced to brave the cold outside AIIMS Hospital due to the lack of adequate facilities at a nearby night shelter.
Noting the seriousness of the issue, the bench comprising the chief justice said, “What have you done? If any one of us is required to live a night there, we don’t know what will happen. Be sensitive.”
“We expect the authorities to take appropriate and adequate steps to ensure residents of night shelters are able to save themselves from the chilling cold,” the bench added.
Responding to the court’s observations, the counsel representing the government said it was a “human problem which should be taken care of”.
Earlier on Monday, a bench comprising Justices C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla took cognisance of a news report on the issue, saying it called for “urgent executive and judicial intervention.”
The bench observed that the report highlighted distressing conditions of persons waiting for treatment in hospitals who have no place to stay. It said the issue required “immediate” attention and directed the high court registry to register the matter as a writ petition under the suo motu Public Interest Litigation head.
The bench also directed the registry to implead key ministries as respondents and list the petition before the chief justice’s bench, which deals with PIL matters, on the same day.
The bench further directed the registry to attach a copy of the news report with the petition and place it before the high court bench.
Also in court
Sunaina appointed coal scam judge
The Supreme Court on Monday appointed Sunaina Sharma, an officer of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service, to conduct trials in the coal scam cases probed by the CBI.
The bench noted that CBI judge Sanjay Bansal had been granted a six-month extension on April 8, 2025. However, more than eight months have passed, and he is now seeking to be relieved of the assignment.