A plea has been filed in Supreme Court seeking direction to authorities to allow migrant workers to travel to their native homes after conducting necessary COVID-19 tests.
As per reports, the plea has been filed by former director in-charge of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmadabad Jagdeep S Chhokar and Gaurav Jain, an advocate.
They stated that the migrant workers who have tested negative for coronavirus should be not be forcefully kept away from their families against their wishes.
The plea also stated that the migrant workers have been affected badly during this lockdown and those wishing to go homes must be allowed to do so and the state authorities must arrange necessary transportation facilities for them.
“In view of the facts and circumstances, it is submitted by the petitioners herein that, now, when the second period of nationwide lockdown has been announced for a period of April 15 to May 3, the state authorities must arrange for the safe travel of those migrant workers who wish to go back to their native villages and hometowns in other states,” the petition said.
The petitioners said that the fundamental right of the migrant workers enshrined under Article 19(1)(d) (right to move freely throughout India) and Article 19(1 )(e) of the Constitution (right to reside and settle in any part of India) cannot be suspended for an indefinite period.
The plea also said that COVID-19 tests for the migrant workers wishing to go home can be arranged either in the state of their departure or in the state of their arrival.