Illustration: Arya Praharaj Illustration: Arya Praharaj

The Delhi High Court might have delivered some landmark judgments in some of the most contentious matters, but it has conceded defeat at containing the chronic malaise of men urinating in public places.

While disposing of a plea seeking a restraint on putting up images of deities on walls and buildings to prevent men from urinating in public, the HC threw up its hands at the problem stating that it could not insist that every man who walks out of his house is forced to put a "lock on his zip."

Although a division bench comprising Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Deepa Sharma acknowledged the problem stating that one might look anywhere across the roads and one can spot men urinating unabashedly against walls, public buildings, yet, it admitted that the court could not stop the same.

This frank admission followed a plea filed by one Manoj Sharma, a resident of Delhi. In his plea filed against the Delhi government, Sharma argued that people put up photos of deities to restrain men from urinating on walls or buildings. However, this does not deter men from the same and is further disrespectful to the deities.

"Residents of buildings, especially Group Housing Complex, are fed up with the Indian habit of relieving the pressure on the bladder by unzipping and peeing on the first wall seen by the person. It is sought to be curtailed, if not at all prohibited, by affixing photographs deities on the walls. The hope would be that man, the greatest creation of the infinite artist, would not dare his privies in front of his lord and would not urinate on the road," HC said. "In spite thereof, there is evidence that the pressure on the bladder is blatantly relieved by virtually peeing on the photographs of God," the court said.

He argued that the same hurt his religious sentiments and the religious sentiments in general and thus, he requested the court to get housing complexes and residents to stop putting photos of deities on walls.

"The petitioner has filed photographs showing that residents of buildings and especially Group Housing Complex. The photos reveal that to shame the offender the owners of the complex have written graffiti ridiculing such men by stating that 'Look here a dog and a donkey is peeing.' In spite thereof, a man is seen peeing on the wall," HC said.

