SC seeks status report from UP on Covid cases in juvenile shelter homes

The bench was hearing an application which sought “medical treatment and facilities” for 57 minor girls who reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 in a Kanpur-based shelter home. On June 11, the SC had taken cognisance of reports about 35 children in a shelter home in Chennai testing positive and sought a report from the Tamil Nadu government.

On Tuesday, the TN government’s counsel informed the Bench that those who were affected are cured and back in the facility. The state also stated there were no new cases and that no children in any juvenile home are Covid positive.

The Bench appointed advocate Gaurav Aggarwal as the amicus curiae and asked all the remaining states to file their responses with Aggarwal by Friday and scheduled the case for hearing on July 13.

On June 11, the apex court also sought status reports from various states on steps taken to safeguard children in conflict with the law staying in shelter homes. The Bench highlighted this on Tuesday and pointed out that states, including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Tripura, had not filed their affidavits yet.