The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard the plea challenging the affixing of posters outside the homes of Covid-19 patients which said it is a violation of the fundamental right to privacy. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the Central government had filed its affidavit on November 30 in which it cleared its stand on the issue that such posters or notices should avoid having the photo of the person.
The three-judge bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subash Reddy and MR Shah has listed the matter for hearing day after tomorrow. On the previous occasion, the bench had asked the Centre to file an affidavit seeking response on the issue within a period of 2 weeks.
The plea filed by advocate Kush Kalra had challenged the affixing of posters outside the homes of coronavirus patients as a mark of identification, as well as divulging names of such patients to housing societies’ management and Resident Welfare Associations.
The petitioner submitted that such disclosure of the identity of patients is in gross violation of their fundamental right to privacy. It has further been submitted that the Constitution does not and could never be permit discrimination on the ground of illness and physical suffering.
The petitioner has also submitted that the affixing posters outside their homes lead to their illness is being widely publicised amongst other residents of a colony or apartment complex as well as household staff of neighbours, vendors, passers-by and other unrelated persons.