COVID-19 patients treated as untouchables once posters pasted on their homes: Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said notices pasted outside Covid-affected homes effectively “stigmatise” them, but the central government defended the notices saying they were intended to keep those unaffected by the pandemic away by “warning” them.

The government, though, claimed that the union health ministry had issued no such directives to states asking them to issue such notices. It was up to states to issue specific orders to stop this practice, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan.

“This is more to do with warning others not to enter than stigmatising those affected,” Mehta said. The bench did not agree with his viewpoint. “It stigmatises the affected,” it insisted. The practice widely seen in Delhi had been challenged in the top court as violative of the right to privacy and dignity of a citizen. Acting on the plea, the bench had issued notices to the government, seeking its explanation on the issue.


The central government has since filed an affidavit explaining that there was no such central government advisory. The health ministry has issued no such instructions, it said. The bench eventually adjourned the hearing so that the petitioner in the case could file a reply to the central government affidavit.