The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi government to consider augmenting the number of toilets in the city's jails after concerns were raised about prisoners having to wait up to three hours in the morning to access restroom facilities.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela instructed the Public Works Department (PWD) to conduct an inspection of all jails in the national capital and assess the condition of toilets and washrooms within two weeks.

"If repair work is to be done, it shall be done in two weeks...If the number of toilets is to be increased then that shall also be done... Septic tanks, if required, shall also be constructed forthwith," the Court ordered.

After it was highlighted that some inmates are forced to clean toilets with their bare hands without any compensation, the Court directed the jail authorities to hire additional staff and ensure that inmates involved in cleaning work receive at least the minimum wage.

The jail authorities were also instructed to provide gloves and other protective gear to those responsible for cleaning toilets and washrooms.

These directions were issued by the Court while addressing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Anuj Malhotra, which alleged poor conditions of toilets in Delhi's jails and the practice of manual scavenging.

Earlier, the Court had ordered an inspection of all jails in the national capital. The subsequent report revealed that although manual scavenging was not occurring, the condition of the toilets was unsatisfactory, with cleaning duties being carried out by inmates.

The Court has scheduled the next hearing for compliance on October 22.