With posters outside houses, COVID-19 patients treated as untouchables, says SC
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Centre says it by no means prescribed the observe as a rule; it’s aimed on the security of others.
The Supreme Court on Thursday mentioned that after posters are pasted outside the houses of COVID-19 patients, these individuals are treated as “untouchables”, reflecting a special “ground reality“.
The Centre informed the Supreme Court that although it has not prescribed this rule, the practice has nothing to do with “stigmatising” COVID-19 patients as it’s aimed toward defending different individuals.
A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah mentioned that the bottom actuality is “something different” and as as soon as such posters are pasted at their houses, they’re treated as untouchables.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, showing for the Centre, mentioned that some States on their very own are pursuing this observe to forestall the unfold of the virus.
Mr. Mehta mentioned the Centre has filed its reply to the plea in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s path asking it to contemplate issuing nationwide pointers to eliminate observe of pasting posters outside the houses of COVID-19 patients.
“Let the counter filed by Union come on record we will take it up on Thursday,” the Bench mentioned.
The Supreme Court on November 5 had requested the Centre to contemplate issuing the rules to eliminate observe of pasting posters outside the houses of COVID-19 patients.
It had directed so with out issuing any formal discover to the Centre on one Kush Kalra’s plea looking for framing of the rules.
The Bench had noticed that when the Delhi authorities has agreed within the High Court to not paste posters, why can not the Centre provide you with pointers coping with the matter for the complete nation.
On November 3, the AAP authorities had advised the Delhi High Court that it has instructed all its officers to not paste posters outside houses of COVID-19 optimistic individuals or these in house isolation; and those pasted have been ordered to be eliminated.
The authorities had advised the High Court that its officers have additionally not been allowed to share particulars of COVID-19 optimistic individuals with their neighbours, resident welfare associations or Whatsapp teams.
Kalra, in his plea earlier than the High Court, had contended that freely circulating to Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and on Whatsapp teams, the names of individuals who examined optimistic for COVID-19 was “leading to stigmatisation and drawing of unnecessary attention“.
The petition had stated that COVID-19 positive persons “ought to be given privacy to cope with and recover from the illness in peace and away from prying eyes“.
“Rather, they are being made the centre of public attention..,” it had mentioned.
It had additionally claimed that this has resulted in individuals “shying away and deliberately choosing not to test themselves” to defend themselves from the “public embarrassment and stigmatisation” which can be brought on by pasting posters outside houses of COVID-19 optimistic patients.
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