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Updated May 10th, 2021 at 13:32 IST

PIL in Delhi HC seeks to protect & safeguard interest of children orphaned due to COVID-19

Delhi High Court issued notice on PIL seeking direction to safeguard the interest and to provide interim custody of children orphaned due to COVID-19.

Reported by: Srishti Goel
COVID-19
Picture Credit: PTI/GERALT/Pixabay | Image:self
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The Delhi High Court on Monday, May 10,  issued notice to the Union of India, the Government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, the Delhi Police, and other government authorities on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking direction to provide provisional custody of children orphaned due to COVID-19 to their nearest relatives or child care facilities under their monitoring and to protect the identities of these children so that they are not vulnerable. 

Delhi HC issues notice 

After seeking responses from all respondents in the case, the bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh scheduled a comprehensive hearing for June 4. The petitioner, Jeetender Gupta, a practising lawyer in Delhi, directed the respondents to protect the interests of children who have lost their parents to COVID-19 and have no one to look after them and are at risk of being trafficked.

The petition also asked for guidance on how to provide sufficient financial compensation to the families of people who died as a result of a lack of access to adequate health care infrastructure/facilities, such as hospitalisation, oxygen cylinders, injections, and drugs, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provide interim custody of children orphaned due to COVID

According to the petition, the complete collapse of health care infrastructure in the National Capital Territory of Delhi during the second wave of COVID-19 in India, specifically beginning in April 2021, was caused by gross negligence and failure on the part of the Respondents, namely the Union of India and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), resulting in the untimely death of a many. The batch of petitions relevant to COVID-19 is currently being examined by various benches of the Delhi High Court.

(with inputs from ANI)

Picture Credit: PTI/GERALT/Pixabay

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Published May 10th, 2021 at 13:32 IST

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