The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Centre to send all migrants home within the deadline fixed, and to ensure the compliance of the court’s order.
The apex court on June 9 had ordered that the process of transporting migrant workers to their native places should be completed in 15 days.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah, while hearing the suo motu case on the migrant crisis during Covid-19 pandemic, said the court’s order on June 9, was very clear that all migrants must reach home within 15 days.
The bench asked the Centre to ensure that migrants do not have to pay anything to go back.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising contended before the bench the information sought from migrant workers was unnecessarily excessive, and informed the bench that it was earlier not being followed.
The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to speak with all states and Union Territories to comply with the order.
“Also ensure publicity is given to our orders”, the court said.
The bench has fixed the next hearing on the matter in July.
Justice Shah cited an order by Karnataka High Court, where it observed that the 15-day period was not mandatory.
Justice Shah said the High Court should be informed that the top court’s order is mandatory.