The Supreme Court will have a well-equipped operational creche from May 1 on its new spacious annexe building premises for the children of lawyers, staff and advocates. The top court has approved the new guidelines for regulating the facility.

The apex court said norms governing the creche, including the question of the amounts to be charged, would be reconsidered once it became operational and in the light of the experience to be gained.

A bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R Banumathi approved the draft application registration form, draft circular and revised norms/guidelines for the creche in the apex court.

It directed the registry to explore the possibility of outsourcing the facility through the Ministry of Woman and Child Development.

“The Registry of the Supreme Court shall take necessary action to ensure that the creche becomes operational on and from May 1, 2018,” the bench said and posted the matter for further hearing on July 10.

After a go-ahead from the bench, the apex court registry has also issued a notification saying that creche facility currently functioning at chamber number 8 and 9 of New Lawyers Chamber building will be shifted to spacious site at ground floor in new annexe building.

“… The newly-constructed creche will be made operational with effect from May 1, 2018. The new creche is more spacious and better equipped with facilities having a total area of about 2000 sq ft with open area in front of about 500 sq ft for garden,” the notification said.

Elaborating details of the creche, the notification said it would be for the children (in the age group of 6 months to 6 years) of members of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association and female registered clerks engaged by the AORs/senior advocates, clerks of advocates, SCBA staff and officers and employees of the registry.

It said the creche should admit up to a maximum of 30 children instead of 10 children as at present and out of 30 seats, three seats shall be kept vacant for accommodating the children desirous of availing creche facility for a day or two and also for children as may be recommended by the Supreme Court Mediation Centre. The rest of the 27 seats will be filled by admitting children on a regular basis.

The court had earlier directed its registry to make arrangements for an operational creche facility from May 1 and had asked all the stakeholders to hold a meeting with the officials of the apex court registry to evolve its modalities.

The apex court 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.

Earlier, the apex court had said creche service on the court premises was inadequate while asking the registry to see whether there was any prospect for expanding its service within the available infrastructure.

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.

SEATS AVAILABLE

Children of SCBA members (including staff): 12

Children of registry’s staff: 12

Children of advocates’ clerk: 3

Guest child (for a day or two): 3

Total: 30

APPLICABLE FEES 

Admission fee: Rs 1,000

Care fee per month: Rs 1,500 (payable in advance)

Charges per child per day: Rs 100

TIMINGS

8.30 am to 6.30 pm: All working days of the registry (Monday to Friday)

8.30 am to 2 pm: All working Saturdays.