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       REPORTABLE    

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 583 OF 2003

 Safai Karamchari Andolan & Ors.        .... Petitioner (s)

Versus

Union of India & Ors.                                    .... Respondent(s)       

WITH  

  CONTEMPT PETITION (C) NO. 132 OF 2012    IN

WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 583 OF 2003

J U D G M E N T

P.Sathasivam, CJI.

1) The above writ petition has been filed by the petitioners  

as  a  Public  Interest  Litigation  under  Article  32  of  the  

Constitution  of  India  praying  for  issuance  of  a  writ  of  

mandamus to  the  respondent-Union  of  India,  State  

Governments  and  Union  Territories  to  strictly  enforce  the  

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implementation  of  the  Employment  of  Manual  Scavengers  

and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 (in  

short  ‘the  Act’),  inter  alia,  seeking  for  enforcement  of  

fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 17, 21 and  

47 of the Constitution of India.   

2) Brief facts:

(i) The inhuman practice of manually removing night soil  

which  involves  removal  of  human  excrements  from  dry  

toilets with bare hands, brooms or metal scrappers; carrying  

excrements and baskets to dumping sites for disposal is a  

practice that is still prevalent in many parts of the country.  

While  the  surveys  conducted  by  some  of  the  petitioner-  

organizations estimate that there are over 12 lakh manual  

scavengers undertaking the degrading human practice in the  

country, the official statistics issued by the Ministry of Social  

Justice and Empowerment for the year 2002-2003 puts the  

figure  of  identified  manual  scavengers  at  6,76,009.   Of  

these,  over  95%  are  Dalits  (persons  belonging  to  the  

scheduled  castes),  who  are  compelled  to  undertake  this  

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denigrating task under the garb of “traditional occupation”.  

The manual scavengers are considered as untouchables by  

other  mainstream castes  and are thrown into  a  vortex of  

severe social and economic exploitation.

(ii) The sub-Committee  of  the  Task  Force  constituted  by  

the Planning Commission in 1989 estimated that there were  

72.05 lakhs dry latrines in the country.  These dry latrines  

have not only continued to exist till  date in several States  

but have increased to 96 lakhs and are still  being cleaned  

manually by scavengers belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

(iii) National  Scheduled  Castes  and  Scheduled  Tribes  

Finance  and  Development  Corporation  was  set  up  in  

February,  1989  as  a  Government  company  to  provide  

financial  assistance  to  all  the  Scheduled  Castes  and  

Scheduled  Tribes  including  Safai  Karamcharis  for  their  

economic development.

(iv) The Government of India formulated a Scheme known  

as ‘Low Cost Sanitation for Liberation of Scavengers’ which is  

a centrally sponsored Scheme being implemented in 1989-

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90  for  elimination  of  manual  scavenging  by  converting  

existing dry latrines into low cost water pour flush latrines  

and also for construction of new sanitary latrines.

(v) With a view to eliminate manual scavenging, a Scheme  

known as ‘National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation  

of Scavengers and their Dependents’ was launched in March  

1992  for  identification,  liberation  and  rehabilitation  of  

scavengers  and  their  dependents  by  providing  alternative  

employment after giving the requisite training.

(vi) Based on earlier  experience and keeping in  view the  

recommendations  of  the  National  Seminar  on  Rural  

Sanitation  held  in  September  1992,  a  new  strategy  was  

adopted by the Government of India in March 1993.  The  

emphasis was now on providing sanitary latrines including  

the construction of individual sanitary latrines for  selected  

houses below the poverty line with subsidy of 80% of the  

unit cost of Rs.2,500/-.

(vii) In  the  year  1993,  the  Parliament  enacted  the  

Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry  

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Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 and it received the assent of  

the President on 5th June, 1993.   The long title of the Act  

describes  it  as  an  Act  to  provide  for  the  prohibition  of  

employment of manual scavengers as well as construction or  

continuance  of  dry  latrines  and  for  the  regulation  of  

construction and maintenance of water-seal latrines and for  

matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(viii) The  Act,  which  was  enacted  in  June  1993,  remained  

inoperative for about 3½ years.  It was finally brought into  

force in the year 1997.  In the first instance, the Act applied  

to  the  States  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Goa,  Karnataka,  

Maharashta, Tripura and West Bengal and to all  the Union  

Territories.  It was expected that the remaining States would  

adopt  the  Act  subsequently  by  passing  appropriate  

resolution under Article 252 of the Constitution.  However, as  

noted by the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis-a  

statutory body,  set  up under the National  Commission for  

Safai  Karamcharis  Act,  1993,  in  its  3rd and  4th Reports  

(combined) submitted to the Parliament, noted that the 1993  

Act was not being implemented effectively and further noted  

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that the estimated number of dry latrines in the country is  

96 lakhs and the estimated number of manual scavengers  

identified  is  5,77,228.   It  further  noted  that  manual  

scavengers were being employed in the military engineering  

works, the army, public sector undertakings, Indian Railways  

etc.

(ix) In 2003, a report was submitted by the Comptroller and  

Auditor General (CAG) which evaluated the ‘National Scheme  

for  Liberation  and  Rehabilitation  of  Scavengers  and  their  

Dependents’.   The  conclusion  of  the  report  was  that  this  

Scheme “has failed to achieve its objectives even after 10  

years of implementation involving investment of more than  

Rs. 600 crores”.  It further pointed out that although funds  

were available for implementation of the Scheme, much of it  

were unspent or underutilized.  The Committees set up for  

monitoring the Scheme were non-functional.  It further noted  

that there was “lack of correspondence between ‘liberation’  

and  ‘rehabilitation’  and  that  “there  was  no  evidence  to  

suggest  if  those  liberated  were  in  fact  rehabilitated”.   It  

concluded  that  “the  most  serious  lapse  in  the  

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conceptualization and operationalization of the Scheme was  

its failure to employ the law that prohibited the occupation…

the law was rarely used”.  

(x) In December, 2003 the Safai Karamchari Andolan along  

with  six  other  civil  society  organizations  as well  as  seven  

individuals  belonging  to  the  community  of  manual  

scavengers filed the present writ petition under Article 32 of  

the Constitution on the ground that the continuation of the  

practice of manual scavenging as well as of dry latrines is  

illegal and unconstitutional since it violates the fundamental  

rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 17, 21 and 23 of the  

Constitution of India and the 1993 Act.   

3) We  have  heard  the  arguments  advanced  by  learned  

counsel for the parties and perused the records.

Relief sought for:  

4) The petitioners have approached this Court by way of  

writ petition in 2003, inter alia, seeking:

(i) to ensure complete eradication of Dry Latrines;

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(ii) to  declare  continuance  of  the  practice  of  manual  

scavenging and the operation of Dry Latrines violative  

of Articles 14, 17, 21 and 23 of the Constitution and the  

1993 Act;

(iii) to direct the respondents to adopt and implement the  

Act  and  to  formulate  detailed  plans,  on  time  bound  

basis,  for  complete eradication of  practice of  manual  

scavenging  and  rehabilitation  of  persons  engaged  in  

such practice;

(iv) to direct Union of India and State Governments to issue  

necessary directives to various Municipal Corporations,  

Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats (all  local bodies)  

to  strictly  implement  the  provisions  of  the  Act  and  

initiate prosecution against the violators; and

(v) to  file  periodical  Compliance  Reports  pursuant  to  

various directions issued by this Court.

Discussion:

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5) The practice of untouchability in general and of manual  

scavenging  in  particular  was  deprecated  in  no  uncertain  

terms  by  Dr.  B.R.  Ambedkar,  Chairman  of  the  Drafting  

Committee  of  the  Constitution  of  India.   Accordingly,  in  

Chapter  III  of  the  Constitution,  Article  17  abolished  

untouchability which states as follows:

“Abolition of Untouchability: “Untouchability” is abolished  and its practice in any form is forbidden.  The enforcement  of any disability arising out of “Untouchability” shall be an  offence punishable in accordance with law.”

6) Article 17 of the Constitution was initially implemented  

through the enactment of the Protection of Civil Rights Act,  

1955 (formerly known as the Untouchability (Offences) Act,  

1955).   Section 7A of  the said Act  provides that  whoever  

compels any person on the ground of untouchability to do  

any  scavenging  shall  be  deemed  to  have  enforced  a  

disability  arising out  of  untouchability  which is  punishable  

with imprisonment.  While these constitutional and statutory  

provisions  were  path  breaking  in  themselves,  they  were  

found to be inadequate in addressing the continuation of the  

obnoxious practice of manual scavenging across the country,  

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a  practice  squarely  rooted  in  the  concept  of  the  caste-

system and untouchability.  

7) Apart from the provisions of the Constitution, there are  

various  international  conventions  and  covenants  to  which  

India  is  a  party,  which  prescribe  the  inhuman practice  of  

manual scavenging.  These are the Universal Declaration of  

Human Rights (UDHR), Convention on Elimination of Racial  

Discrimination (CERD) and the Convention for Elimination of  

all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).   The  

relevant  provisions  of  the  UDHR,  CERD  and  CEDAW  are  

hereunder:

“Article 1 of UDHR

All  human beings are born free and equal in dignity and  rights.  They are endowed with reason and conscience and  should act towards one another in spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2(1) of UDHR

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedom set forth  in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as  race,  colour,  sex,  language,  religion,  political  or  other  opinion,  national or social origin,  property,  birth or other  status.

Article 23(3) of UDHR

Everyone  who  works  has  a  right  to  just  and  favourable  remuneration  enduring  for  himself  and  his  family  an  

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existence worthy of  human dignity  and supplemented, if  necessary, by other means of social protection.”

“Article 5(a) of CEDAW

States Parties shall take all appropriate measures

a) to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct  of  men  and  women,  with  a  view  to  achieving  the  elimination  of  prejudices  and  customary  and  all  other  practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or  the  superiority  of  either  of  the  sexes  or  on  stereotyped  roles for men and women.

Article 2 of CERD

Article 2(1)(c)

States  parties  condemn  racial  discrimination  and  undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without  delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its  forms and promoting understanding among all races, and  to his end:

(c)   each  State  party  shall  take  effective  measures  to  review governmental,  national  and local  policies,  and to  amend, rescind or nullify any laws and regulations which  have  the  effect  of  creating  on  perpetuating  racial  discrimination wherever it exists;

(d) each State party shall prohibit and bring to an end, by  all appropriate means, including legislation as required by  circumstances, racial discrimination by any persons, group  or organization.”

The above provisions of the International Covenants, which  

have been ratified by India, are binding to the extent that  

they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the domestic  

law.

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8) From 2003 till date, this writ petition was treated as a  

continuing mandamus.  Several orders have been passed by  

this Court having far reaching implications.  The petitioners  

have brought to focus the non-adoption of the Act by various  

States  which  led  to  ratification  of  the  Act  by  State  

Assemblies (including the Delhi Assembly which ratified the  

Act  as  late  as  in  2010).   The  Union  Government,  State  

Governments as well as the petitioners have filed affidavits  

from time to time as per the directions of this Court and also  

as to the compliance of those orders.   

9) This Court has, on several occasions, directed the Union  

and State Governments to take steps towards the monitoring  

and  implementation  of  the  Act.   Various  orders  have  

gradually pushed the State Governments to  ratify the law  

and appoint Executive Authorities under the Act.  Under the  

directions of this Court, the States are obligated by law to  

collect data and monitor the implementation of the Act.

10) Due to mounting pressure of this Court, in March, 2013,  

the  Central  Government  announced  a  ‘Survey  of  Manual  

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Scavengers’.   The  survey,  however,  was  confined  only  to  

3546  statutory  towns  and  did  not  extend  to  rural  areas.  

Even with this limited mandate, as per the information with  

Petitioner  No.  1,  the  survey  has  shown  remarkably  little  

progress.  State records in the “Progress Report of Survey of  

Manual Scavengers and their Dependents” dated 27.02.2014  

show that they have only been able to identify a miniscule  

proportion  of  the  number  of  people  actually  engaged  in  

manual scavenging.  For instance, the petitioners, with their  

limited resources, have managed to identify 1098 persons in  

manual  scavenging  in  the  State  of  Bihar.   The  Progress  

Report dated 27.02.2014 claims to have identified only 136.  

In the State of Rajasthan, the petitioners have identified 816  

manual scavengers whereas the Progress Report of the State  

dated 27.02.2014 has identified only 46.

11) The aforesaid data collected by the petitioners makes it  

abundantly  clear  that  the  practice  of  manual  scavenging  

continues  unabated.   Dry  latrines  continue  to  exist  

notwithstanding the fact that the 1993 Act was in force for  

nearly two decades.  States have acted in denial of the 1993  

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Act and the constitutional mandate to abolish untouchability.  

12) For over a decade, this Court issued various directions  

and sought  for  compliance  from all  the  States  and Union  

Territories.  Due to effective intervention and directions of  

this Court,  the Government of India brought an Act called  

“The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and  

their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” for abolition of this evil and  

for  the  welfare  of  manual  scavengers.   The  Act  got  the  

assent of the President on 18.09.2013.  The enactment of  

the  aforesaid  Act,  in  no  way,  neither  dilutes  the  

constitutional mandate of Article 17 nor does it condone the  

inaction on the part of Union and State Governments under  

the  1993 Act.   What  the  2013  Act  does  in  addition  is  to  

expressly acknowledge Article 17 and Article 21 rights of the  

persons engaged in sewage cleaning and cleaning tanks as  

well persons cleaning human excreta on railway tracks.

13) Learned Additional Solicitor General has brought to our  

notice  various  salient  features  of  the  Act  which  are  as  

under:-

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(i) The above-said Act has been enacted to provide for the  

prohibition  of  employment  as  manual  scavengers,  

rehabilitation of manual scavengers and their families,  

and  for  matters  connected  therewith  or  incidental  

thereto.

(ii) Chapter  I  of  the  Act  inter  alia  provides  for  the  

definitions of “hazardous cleaning”, “insanitary latrine”  

and “manual scavenger” as contained in Sections 2(1)

(d), (e) and (g) thereof respectively.   

(iii) Chapter  II  of  the  Act  contains  provisions  for  

Identification of Insanitary latrines.  Section 4(1) of the  

Act reads as under:

“4 - Local  authorities to survey insanitary latrines  and provide sanitary community latrines

(1) Every local authority shall,-- (a) carry out a survey of insanitary latrines existing within  its jurisdiction, and publish a list of such insanitary latrines,  in such manner as may be prescribed, within a period of  two months from the date of commencement of this Act; (b) give a notice to the occupier, within fifteen days from  the date of publication of the list under clause (a), to either  demolish the insanitary latrine or convert it into a sanitary  latrine,  within  a  period  of  six  months  from the  date  of  commencement of this Act: Provided that the local authority may for sufficient reasons  to  be  recorded  in  writing  extend  the  said  period  not  exceeding three months; (c) construct, within a period not exceeding nine months  from the date of commencement of this Act, such number  

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of sanitary community latrines as it considers necessary, in  the areas where insanitary latrines have been found.”

(iv) Chapter III of the Act contains provisions for prohibition  

of insanitary latrines and employment and engagement as  

manual scavenger.  Sections 5, 6 and 7 of the Act read as  

under:

“5  -  Prohibition  of  insanitary  latrines  and  employment and engagement of manual scavenger

(1)  Notwithstanding  anything  inconsistent  therewith  contained in the Employment of  Manual Scavengers and  Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993(46 of  1993), no person, local authority or any agency shall, after  the date of commencement of this Act,-- (a) construct an insanitary latrine; or (b)  engage  or  employ,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  a  manual  scavenger,  and  every  person  so  engaged  or  employed  shall  stand  discharged  immediately  from  any  obligation, express or implied, to do manual scavenging. (2)  Every  insanitary  latrine  existing  on  the  date  of  commencement of this Act, shall either be demolished or  be converted into a sanitary latrine, by the occupier at his  own cost, before the expiry of the period so specified in  clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 4: Provided that where there are several occupiers in relation  to an insanitary latrine, the liability to demolish or convert  it shall lie with,-- (a) the owner of the premises, in case one of the occupiers  happens to be the owner; and (b)  all  the  occupiers,  jointly  and  severally,  in  all  other  cases: Provided that the State Government may give assistance  for conversion of insanitary latrines into sanitary latrines to  occupiers  from such  categories  of  persons  and  on  such  scale, as it may, by notification, specify: Provided further that non-receipt of State assistance shall  not  be  a  valid  ground  to  maintain  or  use  an  insanitary  latrine, beyond the said period of nine months.

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(3) If any occupier fails to demolish an insanitary latrine or  convert it into a sanitary latrine within the period specified  in  sub-section  (2),  the  local  authority  having  jurisdiction  over the area in which such insanitary latrine is situated,  shall, after giving notice of not less than twenty one days  to the occupier, either convert such latrine into a sanitary  latrine,  or  demolish  such insanitary latrine,  and shall  be  entitled to recover the cost of such conversion or, as the  case may be,  of  demolition,  from such occupier  in  such  manner as may be prescribed.

6 - Contract, agreement, etc., to be void

(1) Any contract, agreement or other instrument entered  into or executed before the date of commencement of this  Act,  engaging or  employing a person for  the purpose of  manual scavenging shall, on the date of commencement of  this Act, be terminated and such contract,  agreement or  other  instrument  shall  be  void  and  inoperative  and  no  compensation shall be payable therefor. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1),  no person employed or engaged as a manual scavenger on  a full-time basis shall be retrenched by his employer, but  shall be retained, subject to his willingness, in employment  on at least the same emoluments, and shall be assigned  work other than manual scavenging.

7  -  Prohibition  of  persons  from  engagement  or  employment for hazardous cleaning of sewers and  septic tanks

No person, local authority or any agency shall, from such  date as the State Government may notify, which shall not  be later than one year from the date of commencement of  this Act, engage or employ, either directly or indirectly, any  person for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank.”

(v) Sections 8 and 9 of the Act provide for penal provisions  

which read as under:

8 - Penalty for contravention of section 5 or section  6

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Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 5 or section  6  shall  for  the  first  contravention  be  punishable  with  imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or  with fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees or with  both,  and  for  any  subsequent  contravention  with  imprisonment which may extend to two years or with fine  which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both.

9 - Penalty for contravention of section 7

Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 7 shall for  the first contravention be punishable with imprisonment for  a term which may extend to two years or with fine which  may extend to two lakh rupees or with both, and for any  subsequent  contravention  with  imprisonment  which  may  extend to five years or with fine which may extend to five  lakh rupees, or with both.

(vi) Chapter IV of the Act contains provisions with respect to  

identification of manual scavengers in Urban and Rural Areas  

and also provides for their rehabilitation.  Section 13 of the  

Act reads as under;

“13 - Rehabilitation of persons identified as manual  scavengers by a Municipality

(1)  Any  person  included  in  the  final  list  of  manual  scavengers  published  in  pursuance  of  sub-section  (6)  of  section 11 or added thereto in pursuance of sub-section (3)  of  section  12,  shall  be  rehabilitated  in  the  following  manner, namely:-- (a) he shall be given, within one month,-- (i) a photo identity card, containing, inter alia, details of all  members of his family dependent on him, and (ii)  such  initial,  one  time,  cash  assistance,  as  may  be  prescribed; (b) his children shall be entitled to scholarship as per the  relevant scheme of the Central Government or the State  Government or the local authorities, as the case may be;

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(c)  he  shall  be  allotted  a  residential  plot  and  financial  assistance for house construction, or a ready-built house,  with  financial  assistance,  subject  to  eligibility  and  willingness of the manual scavenger, and the provisions of  the  relevant  scheme  of  the  Central  Government  or  the  State Government or the concerned local authority; (d) he, or at least one adult member of his family, shall be  given,  subject  to  eligibility  and willingness,  training  in  a  livelihood skill, and shall be paid a monthly stipend of not  less than three thousand rupees, during the period of such  training; (e) he, or at least one adult member of his family, shall be  given,  subject  to  eligibility  and  willingness,  subsidy  and  concessional loan for taking up an alternative occupation  on  a  sustainable  basis,  in  such  manner  as  may  be  stipulated  in  the  relevant  scheme  of  the  Central  Government  or  the  State  Government  or  the  concerned  local authority; (f) he shall be provided such other legal and programmatic  assistance,  as  the  Central  Government  or  State  Government may notify in this behalf.

(2) The District Magistrate of the district concerned shall be  responsible for rehabilitation of each manual scavenger in  accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) and the  State  Government  or  the  District  Magistrate  concerned  may,  in  addition,  assign  responsibilities  in  his  behalf  to  officers  subordinate  to  the  District  Magistrate  and  to  officers of the concerned Municipality.”

(vii) Chapter  V  of  the  Act  provides  for  the  implementing  

mechanism.  Sections 17 to 20 read as under:

17  -  Responsibility  of  local  authorities  to  ensure  elimination of insanitary latrines

Notwithstanding anything contained in  any other law for  the  time being  in  force,  it  shall  be  the  responsibility  of  every  local  authority  to  ensure,  through  awareness  campaign or in such other manner that after the expiry of  a period of nine months, from the date of commencement  of this Act,--

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(i) no insanitary latrine is constructed, maintained or used  within its jurisdiction; and (ii)  in case of  contravention of clause (i),  action is taken  against the occupier under sub-section (3) of section 5.

18  -  Authorities  who  may  be  specified  for  implementing provisions of this Act

The appropriate Government may confer such powers and  impose  such  duties  on  local  authority  and  District  Magistrate  as  may  be  necessary  to  ensure  that  the  provisions of this Act are properly carried out, and a local  authority  and  the  District  Magistrate  may,  specify  the  subordinate officers,  who shall  exercise all  or any of the  powers, and perform all or any of the duties, so conferred  or imposed, and the local limits within which such powers  or duties shall be carried out by the officer or officers so  specified.

19  -  Duty  of  District  Magistrate  and  authorised  officers

The District Magistrate and the authority authorised under  section 18 or any other subordinate officers specified by  them under that section shall ensure that, after the expiry  of such period as specified for the purpose of this Act,-- (a)  no  person  is  engaged  or  employed  as  manual  scavenger within their jurisdiction; (b) no one constructs, maintains, uses or makes available  for use, an insanitary latrine; (c)  manual  scavengers  identified  under  this  Act  are  rehabilitated in accordance with section 13, or as the case  may be, section 16; (d)  persons  contravening  the  provisions  of  section  5  or  section  6  or  section  7  are  investigated  and  prosecuted  under the provisions of this Act; and (e)  all  provisions  of  this  Act  applicable  within  his  jurisdiction are duly complied with.

20 - Appointment of inspectors and their powers

(1)  The  appropriate  Government  may,  by  notification,  appoint such persons as it thinks fit to be inspectors for the  

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purposes  of  this  Act,  and  define  the  local  limits  within  which they shall exercise their powers under this Act…”

(viii) Chapter VII of the Act provides for the establishment of  

Vigilance and Monitoring Committees in the following terms:

“24 - Vigilance Committees

(1)  Every  State  Government  shall,  by  notification,  constitute a Vigilance Committee for each district and each  Sub-Division. (2) Each Vigilance Committee constituted for a district shall  consist of the following members, namely:-- (a) the District Magistrate--Chairperson, ex officio;…

25 - Functions of Vigilance Committee The functions of Vigilance Committee shall be-- (a) to advise the District Magistrate or, as the case may be,  the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, on the action which needs to  be taken, to ensure that the provisions of this Act or of any  rule made thereunder are properly implemented; (b)  to  oversee the  economic  and  social  rehabilitation  of  manual scavengers; (c) to co-ordinate the functions of all concerned agencies  with  a  view  to  channelise  adequate  credit  for  the  rehabilitation of manual scavengers; (d) to monitor the registration of offences under this Act  and their investigation and prosecution.

26 - State Monitoring Committee  (1)  Every  State  Government  shall,  by  notification,  constitute a State Monitoring Committee, consisting of the  following members, namely:-- (a) the Chief Minister of State or a Minister nominated by  him--Chairperson, ex officio;…

27 - Functions of the State Monitoring Committee The functions of the State Monitoring Committee shall be-- (a) to monitor and advise the State Government and local  authorities for effective implementation of this Act;

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(b) to co-ordinate the functions of all concerned agencies; (c)  to  look  into  any  other  matter  incidental  thereto  or  connected therewith for implementation of this Act.

*** *** ***

29 - Central Monitoring Committee

(1)  The  Central  Government  shall,  by  notification,  constitute a Central Monitoring Committee in accordance  with the provisions of this section. (2) The Central Monitoring Committee shall consist of the  following members, namely:-- (a)  The  Union  Minister  for  Social  Justice  and  Empowerment--Chairperson, ex officio;…

30 - Functions of the Central Monitoring Committee

The functions  of  the  Central  Monitoring  Committee shall  be,-- (a)  to  monitor  and  advise  the  Central  Government  and  State Government for effective implementation of this Act  and related laws and programmes;…

31  -  Functions  of  National  Commission  for  Safai  Karamcharis

(1)  The National  Commission for  Safai  Karamcharis  shall  perform the following functions, namely:-- (a) to monitor the implementation of this Act; (b) to enquire into complaints regarding contravention of  the provisions of this Act, and to convey its findings to the  concerned  authorities  with  recommendations  requiring  further action; and (c) to advise the Central and the State Governments for  effective implementation of the provisions of this Act. (d)  to  take  suo  motu  notice  of  matter  relating  to  non- implementation of this Act.”

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(ix) Chapter  VIII  of  the  Act  contains  miscellaneous  

provisions.  Section 33 of the Act provides for duty of local  

authorities and other agencies to use modern technology for  

cleaning of sewers, etc.  Section 36 of the Act provides that  

the  appropriate  Government  shall,  by  notification,  makes  

rules  for  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  the  Act  within  a  

period not exceeding three months.  Section 37 of the Act  

provides that the Central Government shall, by notification,  

publish model rules for the guidance and use of the State  

Governments.  

14) We have already noted various provisions of the 2013  

Act and also in the light of various orders of this Court, we  

issue the following directions:-

(i) The  persons  included  in  the  final  list  of  manual  

scavengers under Sections 11 and 12 of the 2013 Act, shall  

be rehabilitated as per the provisions of Part IV of the 2013  

Act, in the following manner, namely:-

(a)  such initial, one time, cash assistance, as may be  

prescribed;

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(b) their  children shall  be entitled  to  scholarship  as  

per the relevant scheme of the Central Government or  

the State Government or the local authorities,  as the  

case may be;

(c) they  shall  be  allotted  a  residential  plot  and  

financial assistance for house construction, or a ready-

built  house  with  financial  assistance,  subject  to  

eligibility and willingness of the manual scavenger as  

per the provisions of the relevant scheme;

(d) at  least  one  member  of  their  family,  shall  be  

given, subject to eligibility and willingness, training in  

livelihood  skill  and  shall  be  paid  a  monthly  stipend  

during such period;

(e) at least one adult member of their family, shall be  

given, subject to eligibility and willingness, subsidy and  

concessional  loan  for  taking  up  an  alternative  

occupation on sustainable basis, as per the provisions  

of the relevant scheme;

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(f) shall  be  provided  such  other  legal  and  

programmatic assistance, as the Central Government or  

State Government may notify in this behalf.

(ii) If the practice of manual scavenging has to be brought  

to a close and also to prevent future generations from the  

inhuman  practice  of  manual  scavenging,  rehabilitation  of  

manual scavengers will need to include:-

(a) Sewer deaths – entering sewer lines without safety  

gears  should  be  made  a  crime  even  in  emergency  

situations.  For each such death, compensation of Rs.  

10 lakhs should be given to the family of the deceased.  

(b) Railways – should take time bound strategy to end  

manual scavenging on the tracks.

(c) Persons released from manual scavenging should  

not  have  to  cross  hurdles  to  receive  what  is  their  

legitimate due under the law.

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(d) Provide  support  for  dignified  livelihood  to  safai  

karamchari women in accordance with their choice of  

livelihood schemes.

(iii) Identify  the  families  of  all  persons who have died  in  

sewerage  work  (manholes,  septic  tanks)  since  1993  and  

award compensation of Rs.10 lakhs for each such death to  

the family members depending on them.

(iv) Rehabilitation must be based on the principles of justice  

and transformation.   

15) In the light of various provisions of the Act referred to  

above and the Rules in addition to various directions issued  

by this Court, we hereby direct all  the State Governments  

and the Union Territories to fully implement the same and  

take appropriate action for  non-implementation as well  as  

violation  of  the  provisions  contained  in  the  2013  Act.  

Inasmuch as the Act 2013 occupies the entire field, we are of  

the view that no further monitoring is required by this Court.  

However, we once again reiterate that the duty is cast on all  

the States and the Union Territories to fully implement and  

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to  take  action  against  the  violators.   Henceforth,  persons  

aggrieved  are  permitted  to  approach  the  authorities  

concerned at the first instance and thereafter the High Court  

having jurisdiction.

16) With the above direction, the writ petition is disposed  

of.  No order is required in the contempt petition.

……….…………………………CJI.                   (P. SATHASIVAM)                                  

       ………….…………………………J.                  (RANJAN GOGOI)                                   

………….…………………………J.                  (N.V. RAMANA)                                   

NEW DELHI; MARCH 27, 2014.

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