RG Kar: Supreme Court questions Bengal govt's hiring of contractual employees for women's security

"The culprit behind the RG Kar case is a civic volunteer," Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud reminded advocate Kapil Sibal, who was representing the State in the top court.

"The civic volunteer could roam around the hospital due to lack of security. Will you again hire contractual employees for security purposes?"

The top court made the remark during the hearing on the RG Kar case. The Kolkata Police had arrested civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy for allegedly raping and murdering a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Though the state counsel assured the CJI of appropriate steps on behalf of the local government, the CJI again posed questions over the appointment of contractual employees for safety and security of women.

The top court has suggested the State to deploy police officials for security of women at hospitals highlighting the posting of contractual employees will raise question over the security.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has rapped the Mamata Banerjee government over its decision to not allot night shifts to women doctors for safety issues in the wake of the RG Kar incident.

A top court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said as quoted by Live Law, "How can you say women cannot work at night? Why limit the women doctors? They don't want a concession...women are ready to work at exactly the same time shift."

In a directive, the CJI told Sibal that it is the responsibility of the state government to provide security and not dictate women's working hours.

"Mr.Sibal, you have to look at it. The answer to it is that you must give security. West Bengal should correct the notification, your duty is to provide security, you cannot say that women (doctors) cannot work at night! pilots, the army etc all work at night," the CJI said.