The Supreme Court ruled that no state or Union Territory should put posters outside the houses of Covid-19 positive patients unless such directions are passed by competent authority to that effect.
A petition is filed by Kush Kalra challenging the decision taken by various State governments under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005 to affix posters outside the homes of COVID-19 patients who are in isolation.
The judgment was passed by a Bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan comprising with Justice R Subhash Reddy & Justice MR Shah. During the course of hearing, the bench had observed that the practice of Govt. authorities pasting Sign Boards outside the Covid-19 positive Patient’s residence leading to ‘Stigmatisation of such Persons’.
In its plea, the petitioner has quoted that patients who are already undergoing mental agony and trauma due to Covid-19 are also facing “stigmatisation by the members of neighbourhood and community” due to such practice.
Moreover, the Petition also contended that such posters for Covid-19 patients are becoming the talk of the community and forming a ‘idle gossip’.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central government, had submitted that such posters are meant to ensure that nobody inadvertently enters the house of a Covid positive patient.
