Following transfer of the matter from the Supreme Court that had appointed an expert committee to look into the facilities at beggars’ home, the Delhi High Court has taken up the issue. It has sent notices to the Union and the Delhi government on a petition seeking basic human and fundamental rights for beggars in the Capital.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw sought responses of the Centre, the Delhi government and the Delhi Police Commissioner in the matter earlier this week and posted the matter, transferred to it by the Supreme Court on January 30, for hearing on April 22.
The apex court had observed that it would be appropriate if the matter was dealt with by the High Court, as the case pertained to beggars’ homes in Delhi. Since the matter was pending for quite some time, the Supreme Court had directed the High Court to take up the case on a regular basis and pass appropriate directions at the earliest.
The expert committee appointed by the apex court had submitted its report on October 8 last year, while pointing out that the facilities at the institutions meant for beggars were inadequate.
The members of the committee were former Additional Solicitor General L. Nageswara Rao and lawyers Colin Gonsalves and Indra Sawhney.
The public interest litigation in the Supreme Court was filed in 2000 by Kartikea Sawhney, who had sought directions for appointment of visiting committees for periodic visits to beggars’ homes and arrangements for clean shelter, proper food, clothing and other necessary basic amenities for the inmates.
The petitioner had also sought directions to the Centre for providing vocational training that would provide meaningful work and payment of minimum allowance to the inmates of beggars’ homes for the work done by them.
Besides these prayers, the petition had sought an increase in the number of beggars’ homes in the Capital, to which non-government and voluntary organisations could be attached in order to ensure wellbeing of inmates.
Notices sent to Centre, Delhi Government on a petition seeking fundamental rights for beggars in the Capital
