Do not insist on details of mentally ill for Covid test: HC to ICMR

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday said mobile number, government-issued identity card, photographs or even a residential proof should not be insisted upon

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday said mobile number, government-issued identity card, photographs or even a residential proof should not be insisted upon for Covid-19 test of mentally ill homeless persons and asked the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) to come out with a clarification in this regard.

HT Image

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan said ICMR should issue a clarification by way of a circular or an official order that the identity proof, address proof and mobile number are not required for testing mentally ill homeless persons.

“Guidelines have to be given by you (ICMR). You put it in black and white for the states’ benefit. You only need to clarify in two-three lines that mobile number, address proof and identity cards are not required for testing mentally ill homeless persons,” it said.

Earlier, on June 19, the ICMR had issued an advisory that every person who was to be tested for Covid-19 has to provide a government-issued identity proof and should have a valid phone number for tracing and tracking the individual and his/her contacts.

The bench was hearing a PIL moved by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking directions to ICMR and Delhi government to issue guidelines for Covid-19 testing of mentally ill homeless persons in the capital.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, appearing for ICMR, sought time to take instructions from the government regarding the observations made by the bench.

The high court, thereafter, listed the matter for further hearing on August 7.

The high court on July 9 had asked ICMR to consider the plight of the mentally ill homeless persons and see if they can be tested without insisting upon a mobile number, government identity card and residential address proof.

In response, ICMR had filed an affidavit, stating that government identity card and telephone number was sought to ensure proper tracing and treatment of positive cases and their contacts as “Test/Track/Treat” is the best strategy to control the Covid-19 pandemic.

It said since health was a state subject, the state health authority concerned may consider adopting a suitable protocol to ensure the strategy of “Test/Track/Treat” is followed and the grievance raised in the PIL is addressed.

The plea had said the Delhi government had not taken seriously the lack of guidelines on Covid-19 testing of mentally ill homeless persons.