KUSH KALRA DRAFT

The Supreme Court on Wednesday

A bench of Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Surya Kant

The bench was hearing the plea filed by Kush Kalra seeking direction to restrain beggars and vagabonds/homeless from begging on traffic junctions, markets, and public places to avoid the spread of the covid-19 pandemic in all the states and union territories across India, rehabilitate them, and to further ensure food, shelter, and basic medical amenities including covid-19 vaccination to them.

Earlier, The Union of India had informed the Supreme Court today that over 77 lakh persons without any identity proof have been administered the first dose of vaccination and over 14 lakh persons in the same situation have been administered both the doses.

In furtherance to this, the Court had also noted that "it is a reflection of their poverty. We will not take this elitist view that we don't want to see beggars on street. This is a socio-economic condition, cannot be remedied by direction of this nature.”

The plea had further sought direction to rehabilitate the beggars with the help of Social Departments and Distt. Magistrates.

In addition to this, the plea filed through Advocate Mohit Paul had sought the following directions:

• To direct the respondents to make sure food, shelter, and basic medical amenities including covid-19 vaccination to beggars across all states and UT’s in India.
• Issue necessary guidelines in this respect until parliamentary legislation is brought into force.
• To direct the respondents to accumulate data related to such persons.

Case Title: Kush Kalra v. Union of India