Delhi HC Dismisses PIL Seeking Financial Aid For Sex Workers and Persons Of LGTBQ Community To Survive COVID19 Pandemic [Read Order]

The Division Bench of Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal observed that the Supreme Court as well as various governments have already brought out several schemes to alleviate hardship to the citizens in the wake of Covid-19 and the persons for whom relief is sought in the petition can also avail the same.

The order has come in a PIL seeking a direction to the Centre as well the Delhi Government to take effective measures to provide financial aid including food, shelter and medicines etc., to sex workers, lesbians, bisexuals, gay and transgender people in Delhi, for their survival during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While demanding the constitution of a Committee for their rehabilitation of these persons, the Petitioner had also sought steps for exemption of rent of such persons who are living as tenants in Delhi.

The court during the hearing observed that the Petitioner could not present a list of aggrieved persons who have been identified, or who would come forward and identify themselves to seek the claimed relief.

The Petitioner, while claiming waiver of rent, had also not made the concerned landlords a party to this petition.

While reprimanding the Petitioner for moving such a PIL without any groundwork, the court highlighted that:

'Though the rules framed by this court with respect to PILs require the Petitioner to not only disclose earlier PILs filed but also outcome thereof but the petitioner, paying mere lip service to the said requirement, has pleaded that the earlier PILs filed by him have been "disposed off". He is even now not telling whether the earlier petitions have been dismissed.'

While dismissing the petition, the court, even after noting that such behaviour warrants imposition of costs, did not choose to impose any such costs on the Petitioner, owing to his young age.

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