Centre tells SC posters outside Covid-positive homes aren't compulsory; meant to caution

Supreme Court said on Tuesday that COVID-19 patients are treated as "untouchables", after warning posters are pasted outside ir homes, causing a social stigma among people. 

Centre informed apex court that although it has t prescribed this rule, practice is aimed at warning people from inadvertently entering house of affected patients. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre, said that some states have pursued this practice to prevent spread of virus.

Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice Ashok Bhushan, RS Reddy, and MR Shah said, “ ground reality at grassroots level is that once such a tice is pasted outside patient’s house, he is treated by ors as untouchable.”

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SG Tushar Mehta said Central government is t in favour of pasting posters outside homes of affected persons, if it leads to maligning or stigmatizing m. Centre submitted that it never prescribed to affix 'COVIDー19 positive' posters outside patients' houses and hence, states can pass suitable orders to stop this practice.

top court has deferred hearing for Thursday to enable petitioner to respond to detailed affidavit filed by Centre. plea has sought directions for doing away with practice of pasting posters outside houses of COVID-19 patients.

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