JUDGMENT

G.P. Mathur, J.-These writ petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution have been filed praying that a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ be issued directing the respondents to stop arresting women between sunset and sunrise except in grave offences like murder and to ensure that if a woman is kept in police station, she should be allowed to have a relative with her and in her view. The other prayer made is to issue a direction to the Director General of Police, U.P. to take appropriate action to punish the police personnel involved in the arrest of petitioner No.1. Contempt petitions have also been filed against Shri Devinder Singh, SHO, P.S. Sector 20, Noida for punishing him for having committed contempt of the orders and directions issued by this Court.

2. The case set up in the writ petitions is that petitioner No.1, Smt. Rajkumari is resident of F-143, BHEL Colony, Sector 16, Noida and petitioner No.2, Smt. Brinda Karat is the General Secretary, All India Democratic Womens Conference, which is an organisation concerned with the right to equality and democratic rights of women in the country. The workers of Noida Industrial Area, Faridabad and Delhi went