The Gujarat High Court today ordered the state government to re-frame rules governing the functioning of women's protection homes which it held as outdated.
The direction was given by a division bench of Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice A J Kogji on a PIL filed by NGO Peace and Equality Cell and Sahiyar on the living condition of its inmates.
The high court said the rules governing such homes were framed in 1964 and needed to be updated as they have become outdated.
The bench also asked Gujarat government to fill the post of regular Superintendent in each of these homes by August 15 and kept the matter for further hearing on June 8.
It also ordered formation of a seven-member committee which will recommend new rules to Gujarat government.
The committee has members from state government and NGOs among others.
The PIL was filed following news reports in October 2014 of some women from a protection home in Odhav here escaping.
The petition sought the court's direction to the state government to improve aspects like infrastructure, rehabilitation and recreational facility, hygiene, separate facility for mentally challenged women, among others.
Hearing the same PIL, the high court had earlier directed constitution of a four-member committee to visit at least eight such homes in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Godhra, Palitana, Chikhli and Bhuj.
The committee members, headed by the Principal Secretary of Women and Child Development department, visited these homes and submitted a report which was placed before the court.
