Do not paste posters outside COVID patients’ houses, SC tells states

The Supreme Court (SC) has told states not to put up posters outside the homes of corona-positive patients to suggest they are suffering from the disease.

The apex court said such sign boards should be put up only on the directions of the competent authority under the Disaster Management Act.

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The SC bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah was hearing a plea against state governments that are putting up posters outside homes of patients.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the Centre had never prescribed such an action and that specific states were doing so, probably to prevent further spread of the infection.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare passed on the court’s ruling to chief secretaries and health secretaries of all states and union territories).

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare submitted an affidavit in the court saying its guidelines do not have any instructions regarding affixing posters or other signage outside the houses of positive patients and there cannot be any stigma attached to it.