New Delhi: The Supreme Court said that once the posters are placed outside the house of covid-19 patients, they are being treated like ‘untouchables’ and this is a different reality statement at the ground level. The Center told the apex court that although it has not framed this rule but it does not intend to ‘stigma’ covid-19 patients, it aims to protect others. Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice R.K. Subhash Reddy and Justice MR. Shah’s bench said that the ground reality is “somewhat different” and that they have been treated like untouchables after posting such posters on their houses.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Center, said that some states are doing this at their level to prevent the spread of infection. Mehta said that the Center has given its reply on a court order on a petition requesting the issuance of nationwide guidelines to end the way of pasting posters on the houses of covid-19 patients. The bench said, “Let the answer filed by the Center come on record, after that we will hear it on Thursday.”
The apex court had on November 5 asked the Center to consider issuing guidelines to end the method of pasting posters on the houses of covid-19 patients. The court, while hearing the application of Kush Kalra, sought reply without issuing a formal notice to the Center.
