THE COURT WILL NOT TAKE ELITIST VIEW - RESTRAIN BEGGARS FROM BEGGING ON STREETS - SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court on Tuesday remarked that it will not pass any order to restrain beggars from begging in public places amid the Covid 19 pandemic. The Court further remarked that it will not take any elitist view over it, nobody wants to beg but they have no choice. Beggars seeking alms on streets is a socio-economic problem of the Country.
 
A bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah was hearing a plea by Kush Kalra seeking rehabilitation of beggars. However, one of the prayers of the PIL was to restrain beggars from begging alms on the street amid the pandemic. To which Justice Chandrachud maintained that "Please do not press the prayer to restrain beggars from begging,".
 
The Petitioner submitted that his main object of the PIL is to rehabilitate the beggars and vagabonds for proper vaccination and medical facility.
 
The Bench recorded the same and in view of the second prayer issued a notice to the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union of India.
 
"The Way in which Prayer A has been drafted seems to restrain beggars and vagabonds from begging in order to contain the spread of Covid 19. Prayer B seeks the rehabilitation of beggars and vagabonds. The Court is not interested in passing any direction in the above terms. People are taking the streets out of an elementary livelihood. It is a socio-economic problem and cannot be solved by one direction passed by this court. Counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that he does not intend to Press Prayer A. In view of the clarification, the bench issued a notice and gave permission to amend the prayers'.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal