Coaches second class, not passengers: SC to Rlys

India's Supreme Court has called on the national railway service to reconsider its use of the term "second class passenger," deeming the expression offensive to the spirit of the Indian Constitution. The court suggested that the class designation should apply to the train coaches rather than the passengers themselves.

A bench comprising justices Sanjay Karol and N Kotiswar Singh made these observations while adjudicating a compensation claim. The case involved the death of a passenger who fell from a moving train in 2015. The court reversed lower tribunal and high court decisions that had denied compensation, ruling that the absence of the deceased's ticket did not invalidate the claim and awarded ₹8 lakh to the widow.

During their review of railway manuals, the justices noted the continued use of terms like "second class passenger" and "upper and lower class passengers." They argued that such language, rooted in historical class divisions, is incompatible with a constitutional democracy committed to equality and dignity. The court emphasized that the class connotation should be linked to the coach, not the individual traveler.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court addressed the persistent issue of overcrowding on trains, which it identified as a frequent cause of accidents. The bench recommended a significant increase in manpower at stations and on trains. This measure aims to improve the implementation of safety protocols designed to prevent overcrowding and mitigate the risk of accidental falls, thereby enhancing passenger safety.

“

While it is ostensibly linked to the expenditure incurred by the passenger to travel, we may suggest that the class connotation be attached to the coach and not to the passenger, in recognition of the history of class divisions in our country and the same being offensive to the spirit of the Constitution of India.