# Delhi HC seeks Centre, IRCTC reply on lower berth for pregnant women online 2026-09-17T06:11:39+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre, Railway Board and IRCTC on a plea demanding an online mechanism for pregnant women to reserve lower berths. A bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that since the Railways' policy already gives pregnant women priority for lower berths, IRCTC as its agent must implement it digitally. The petition, filed by advocate Anunay Sahay, argues that pregnant women must currently visit physical reservation counters to claim lower berths, while other eligible categories can book them online through IRCTC's website or app. This creates avoidable hardship, particularly for women who book most tickets online. The plea seeks a system for online allocation with reasonable verification, such as through technical checks, without requiring a physical visit. The court will hear the matter next on September 30. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both livelaw.in and abplive.com report the Delhi High Court's notice on a plea for online lower-berth booking for pregnant women, with abplive.com adding a lead on the court calling it the Railways' responsibility to implement its own policy. abplive.com's framing is slightly more directive, emphasising the court's strictness and the Railways' duty, while livelaw.in stays closer to the petition's legal arguments. The core common fact is the notice, the difference is the tone of enforcement. The September 30 hearing will test whether the court's observation translates into a concrete deadline for IRCTC to build a digital verification mechanism. ## Coverage - livelaw.in (neutral report) Leads with legal filing details, stays procedural - news.abplive.com (neutral report) Leads with court's strict observation, emphasises Railways' duty Tags: Anunay Sahay, Delhi High Court, IRCTC, pregnant women, Railway Board, reservation Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-hc-seeks-centre-irctc-reply-on-lower-berth-for-pregnant-women-online/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-hc-seeks-centre-irctc-reply-on-lower-berth-for-pregnant-women-online/#story-in-brief