In a recent suo-moto public interest litigation, taken up by the Bombay High Court, the questions concerning the protection of migrant workers unable to travel to their native homes, and the protection of doctors, medical staff and para medical staff conducting the COVID-19 tests, were raised, and necessary directions were provided.

The petition was undertaken by the Court with the recent event that took place in Bandra, Mumbai wherein the migrant worker community, who were unable to travel back to their native homes, due to the lockdown imposed by the government, came on the streets in large protests, demanding to go back. The protests were extremely large and severe, and left the Bombay Police Force with no choice, but to conduct a lathi charge to send the people back, and also charged some people with penalties provided under the IPC for violating the norms of the extended lockdown. 

The petitioner prayed in the petition for the respondents to answer to three main questions, concerning the conditions of these migrant workers, wherein the respondents were required to provide the court with data concerning the number of migrant workers present in each individual districts; whether or not are there any habitation facilities provided to these migrant workers, along with other essential facilities, and lastly whether such workers are being provided with any form of psychological counselling, to help them cope with their grief of not being with their families during such a pandemic. 

The court also directed the respondents to take necessary steps to provide adequate protection to the doctors, medical and para medical staff, connected with the COIVD-19 testing. The reason being that these medical staff is facing extreme harassment and violence from the members of their own residential areas, due to the fear that such medical personnels may infect their households and others with the virus. 

Thus, the respondents have been provided with a time period of about two weeks, to collect all the necessary data to be provided to the court, and accordingly, the court will hear the case next on/or after 4th May, 2020.