Supreme Court Issues Contempt Notices to Chief Secretaries of 15 States Over Continued Manual Scavenging Deaths
In a strong message to state governments over the continuing loss of lives during sewer and septic tank cleaning, the Supreme Court has issued contempt notices to the Chief Secretaries of 15 states, including Delhi and Punjab. The court has sought explanations from the senior-most bureaucrats over the alleged failure to implement its landmark 2023 directions aimed at completely eliminating manual scavenging and preventing deaths of sanitation workers.
The move marks one of the strongest judicial interventions in recent years on the issue of manual scavenging. Despite repeated court directions, statutory safeguards and government commitments, deaths linked to the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks continue to be reported from different parts of the country. Expressing deep concern over the situation, the apex court observed that such fatalities are still occurring in substantial numbers, raising serious questions about whether its earlier orders are being implemented effectively on the ground.
A Bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M. Pancholi took note of the continuing incidents while hearing the matter. The judges observed that nearly three years have passed since the Supreme Court delivered its significant judgment on October 20, 2023, directing all states, Union Territories and civic authorities to ensure that manual scavenging is completely eradicated. Yet, workers continue to lose their lives after entering sewers and septic tanks, indicating serious gaps in enforcement and compliance.
The Bench remarked that the court’s earlier directions were explicit and left little room for ambiguity. Governments had been instructed to ensure that no individual is compelled to enter hazardous sewer systems manually, particularly when mechanised alternatives and safety protocols are available. The continued occurrence of such deaths, according to the court, suggests that the directions have not been implemented in the manner expected.
During the hearing, the judges noted that fatalities involving sanitation workers entering underground sewer lines and septic tanks were still being reported “in large numbers.” Such recurring incidents, they observed, cannot be ignored, especially after the court had already laid down detailed guidelines for preventing them. The Bench indicated that the persistence of these deaths reflects a matter of serious concern requiring accountability at the highest administrative level.
The contempt proceedings have been initiated against the Chief Secretaries because they are the senior-most administrative officers in their respective states and are responsible for ensuring that government policies, court directions and statutory obligations are implemented effectively. By issuing notices directly to them, the Supreme Court has signalled that compliance with its orders cannot remain confined to paperwork and must translate into measurable action on the ground.
The court has directed the Chief Secretaries of the 15 states to file their responses within four weeks. They have been asked to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for the alleged wilful disobedience of the Supreme Court’s October 20, 2023 judgment. The notices also require the states to place before the court detailed information regarding the steps taken to implement the earlier directions and prevent further deaths during sewer and septic tank cleaning.
A significant factor behind the court’s observations was the data presented before Parliament by the Central government in March 2026. According to the figures referred to during the hearing, 165 deaths related to sewer and septic tank cleaning were reported across 15 states over the past three years.
The official data showed that 65 deaths were recorded during 2023, followed by 54 deaths in 2024 and 46 deaths in 2025. These numbers, the court noted, demonstrate that fatalities have continued despite the judicial directions intended to eliminate the dangerous practice.
The Bench was also informed that nearly 100 deaths had occurred during the period covering 2024 and 2025. In addition, unverified reports placed before the court suggested that the number of deaths during the current year may have already crossed the 100-mark, although those figures are yet to receive official confirmation. Even so, the information reinforced the court’s concern that the problem remains far from resolved.
The Supreme Court’s current action has its roots in its landmark judgment delivered on October 20, 2023. In that decision, the apex court issued comprehensive directions to all state governments, Union Territories and municipal authorities for the complete elimination of manual scavenging. The judgment emphasised that no worker should be required to enter sewers or septic tanks manually unless all prescribed safety measures are in place and no mechanised alternative is available.
The court had also stressed that governments must adopt modern technologies, improve mechanisation of sanitation work, strengthen safety protocols and ensure adequate protective equipment for sanitation workers wherever manual intervention becomes unavoidable under exceptional circumstances. The broader objective of the judgment was to eliminate hazardous practices that continue to endanger human lives despite legal prohibitions.
Apart from preventive measures, the 2023 judgment also highlighted the responsibility of governments to ensure accountability whenever violations occur. The court had made it clear that authorities must fix responsibility for negligence, improve monitoring systems and ensure that sanitation workers are protected through proper implementation of safety standards and technological alternatives.
The latest contempt notices indicate that the Supreme Court intends to closely monitor whether those directions have actually been implemented by the states. Rather than limiting itself to issuing advisory observations, the court has now moved towards examining administrative accountability for the continued occurrence of such deaths.
Manual scavenging has remained one of India’s most serious human rights and public safety concerns for decades. Although the practice is prohibited under law and successive governments have introduced measures aimed at mechanising sanitation work, deaths inside sewers and septic tanks continue to surface periodically. Many of these incidents occur due to the accumulation of toxic gases inside confined spaces, exposing workers to life-threatening conditions within minutes of entry.
Over the years, courts, statutory bodies and civil society organisations have repeatedly emphasised that technological solutions, mechanised cleaning equipment and proper safety protocols must replace hazardous manual entry into sewer systems. The Supreme Court’s repeated interventions have consistently focused on ensuring that sanitation workers are not forced into unsafe working conditions that place their lives at immediate risk.
The latest proceedings therefore go beyond individual incidents and raise broader questions about governance, implementation and administrative responsibility. By seeking explanations directly from Chief Secretaries, the apex court has underscored that compliance with judicial directions must be reflected through concrete administrative action rather than policy announcements alone.
The case is now expected to move into its next phase after the concerned states submit their replies before the court. Those responses will outline the measures taken to implement the 2023 judgment, the mechanisms established to prevent manual scavenging, the use of mechanised cleaning systems, safety protocols adopted by local bodies and the steps initiated to avoid further fatalities.
The Supreme Court’s decision to initiate contempt proceedings sends a clear signal that it expects full and timely implementation of its earlier directions. As the matter returns before the Bench after the filing of responses, the proceedings are likely to have significant implications for how state governments strengthen enforcement mechanisms, improve worker safety and eliminate one of the country’s most hazardous and prohibited practices.
