Kerela: ‘Lock up men because they create trouble, let women roam free’ – Kerala High Court
Kerela: The Higher Education Department told the Kerala High Court that the decision to impose restrictions at night has been taken keeping in mind the safety of girl students and the demands of parents.
Curb in women hostel: The Kerala High Court said on Thursday (December 22) that hostels are not jails. The High Court has directed all the medical colleges in the state to follow the new order of the government. The court also said that boys and girls have equal constitutional rights and all the rules and regulations will be same for boys and girls in hostels as well. Court said lock men as they create trouble, let women roam free.
Girl students of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital had approached the court
In fact, girl students of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital had last month approached the court questioning the Higher Education Department’s notification barring them from leaving the hostel after 9.30 pm. He said curfew was imposed for girls after 9.30 pm while there was no restriction for boys.
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a plea seeking quashing of an order barring girl students from leaving hostels after 9:30 pm. “In an ideal society, girls and women should have the freedom to walk on the streets at any time, be it day or night,” the court said.
Constitutional Rights of Girls
Hearing the petition, Justice Devan Ramachandran said, “Girls have constitutional rights, perhaps more than boys. Such discriminatory restrictions cannot be imposed on them. Hostels are not prisons. The judge said, lock up the boys as they create trouble. Let the women roam free.” The Kerala High Court also directed the principals of all medical colleges to follow the new order issued by the government on December 6, 2022. Accordingly, some of the existing norms were relaxed and students were allowed to enter the hostel after the stipulated time with certain conditions.
The Kerala High Court, while confirming the final interim order dated December 20, 2022, said, “As per the order of the government, the gate closing time for both girls and boys hostels is now 9:30 pm. If a student needs to move out of the hostel after the gate is closed, he/she may do so with permission from the warden or the faculty in-charge.”
