Home Judgments & Orders Punjab & Haryana High Court Confinement in Quarantine Centre To Avoid Spread Of COVID-19 Is Not Illegal:...

Confinement in Quarantine Centre To Avoid Spread Of COVID-19 Is Not Illegal: Punjab & Haryana HC

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The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday upheld that a person kept in quarantine by authorities due to Covid-19 pandemic cannot be said to be in illegal confinement/detention.

The bench of Justice Lalit Batra dismissed a habeas corpus filed by two residents of Assam and Bihar for their release from a quarantine centre in Palwal. The petitioners were booked by the police on April 2 after they were found at a mosque on March 31, in violation of the orders of lockdown and conditions of visa.

They were booked by Haryana Police under relevant provisions of IPC, Foreigners Act, Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act.

The main argument raised by petitioners was that they were tested negative for COVID-19 and they had been granted bail from the lower court so their confinement at the quarantine facility amounts to illegal detention.

The bench stated, “after having sought report from Medical Authorities and especially the fact that petitioners are residents of States of Assam and Bihar, the fact that due to impact of Covid-19, entire country is under lockdown and there is no transport facility and further the fact that Quarantine Centre “Mewat Model School, Hathin” is one of the hotspots (Red Zone), therefore, in view of safety and health aspects of petitioners and to avoid spread of Covid-19 impact, lodging of petitioners for the time being in Quarantine Centre cannot be said to be illegal confinement/ detention.”

The Bench also went on to state that lodging of people in quarantine homes for their safety cannot be illegal.

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