The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to the Delhi Government in a plea seeking explanations from Delhi Govt & ICMR on the Govt’s decision to exclude asymptomatic direct contacts of confirmed cases from COVID-19 testing.
The petitioner herein is a Padma Shree Awardee and a senior citizen who said that asymptomatic patients and even pre-symptomatic patient have been excluded from getting themselves COVID-19 testing. The petitioner has challenged the order on the ground that order dated 02.06.2020 strikes at the constitutional protection including right to lives and right to avail medical facility under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
The petitioner also stated that effect of the impugned Office Order is that COVID -19 testing in the State will become restricted to only symptomatic and high risk patients and would totally exclude: (a) direct contacts like family members, domestic helps, professional colleagues etc., who may have been in direct contact with a positive case but show no symptoms, and (b) other potential asymptomatic cases.
Acting upon the plea, the division bench comprising of Justice Hima Kohli & Justice Subramonium Prasad, issued notice to the Delhi Government on the plea challenging reduced number of Covid-19 in Delhi.
The High Court has listed the case for further hearing on 22nd June, 2020.
-India Legal Bureau