Tamil Nadu

PIL seeks masks through PDS, dismissed

Observing that the government has already issued reasonable guidelines for distribution of free face masks and hand sanitisers to the public, the Madras High Court refused to issue any mandatory direction to the State government to provide free face masks and hand sanitisers to the public through the Public Distribution System (PDS) as sought by a PIL.

migrator

Chennai

A division bench comprising Justices Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Sathyanarayana, before whom a plea moved by R Dhineshkumar came up, said the court was satisfied that the State has taken adequate steps to make available face masks and hand sanitisers in public places. 

“The State cannot be mandated to make available free face masks and hand sanitisers through PDS to the people living below poverty line,” the bench said.

The petitioner said that the free distribution through PDS would include only persons below poverty line. But the government pleader countered that in the lockdown period, people were expected to remain at home except for buying essentials.

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