Casually Leaving Mouth/Nose Exposed To Be Treated On Same Footing As Not Wearing Mask, Liable To Same Punitive Action: Punjab & Haryana HC

CASE AT HAND

• Recently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday ordered that the States of Punjab, Haryana and UT of Chandigarh shall depute officials of the municipal bodies or health authorities for ensuring that mask etiquettes are followed by the general public and that the States shall promptly redress grievances on the designated helpline numbers.
• Justice Rajan Gupta and Justice Karamjit Singh also went ahead to order that the persons wearing their masks casually leaving their mouth or nose exposed will be treated on "equal footing as those not wearing the mask at all and action will be taken.”
• This case was brought by a petition wherein Amicus Curiae, Senior Advocate Rupinder Khosla in the previous course of hearing had apprised the Court about the "complete chaos due to the situation arising out of spread of Covid-19 as the Government guidelines were not being followed in the region."

SUBMISSIONS BEFORE THE COURT

• In this case the State of Haryana have decided to keep a Secretary, Legal Services Authority in every District would also be a member of the said Committee as he receives number of complaints arising out of the covid situation.
• State of Punjab apprised the Court that it has no objection of forming a similar committee in order to address the public grievances, however, it was submitted that a designated helpline number 104 has already been assigned which entertains all types of grievances of the public.
• State of Chandigarh submitted in the Court that a "war room" was operational for considering the complaints of general public including a dedicated phone number.
• The Court mentioned that the surprise checks shall also be conducted by the concerned authorities on such private facilities.

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