Assam-Gauhati High Court directed the Deputy Commissioner, Cachar as well as the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority to provide rations to the sex workers of Silchar during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A PIL was filed regarding the present condition of sex workers in Assam who, according to the petitioner in most cases, are on the verge of starvation, considering the strange and difficult times of the present COVID-19 pandemic.
The learned counsel for petitioner Ms. D. Ghosh relied upon an order of the Hon’ble Apex Court dated 29.09.2020 passed in Criminal Appeal No. 135 of 2010 Budhadev Karmaskar vsThe State of West Bengal & Ors. ,where dealing largely with the same issue as are before us in this petition, certain directions were given by the Apex Court regarding relief and aid to be given to sex workers during the present COVID-19 pandemic.
The court also allows the impleadment application for impleading the Union of India, represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development as well as National AIDS Control Organization, represented by Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, as respondent nos. 7 and 8.
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The Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhuliya and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak passed an interim mandamus directing the Deputy Commissioner, Cachar as well as the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Cachar to immediately provide ration to these families.
Further listed on 01.06.2021.