The Kerala High Court has supported petrol pump owners who said that toilets at their fuel stations are meant only for their customers during emergencies, not for the general public. A group called the Petroleum Traders Welfare and Legal Service Society, along with five petrol pump owners, had filed a petition. They were upset that local authorities had put up posters and QR codes on their toilets, making people think they were public restrooms.

The petrol pump owners argued that this caused problems, as many people started using their toilets even if they were not buying fuel. They said this could lead to health and safety issues. The petitioners asked the court to allow only customers who come to refuel and only in emergencies to use the toilets. The court agreed with their request.
Fuel pump owners told the Kerala High Court that signs put up by local authorities made people wrongly believe their toilets were open to everyone. This led to large crowds gathering, which they said created security risks at fuel stations.

In a temporary order, the court said the state government and Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation should not force petrol pump owners to let the general public use their toilets. However, many people online weren’t happy with the news. On Reddit, one user said that a few years ago, things were the opposite, there were not enough public toilets, and letting people use petrol pump restrooms, even for a small fee, was better for society. They added that the government, using this excuse, didn’t build proper toilet facilities.