Top court refuses to ban begging in Delhi-NCR

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought reply from the Centre and Delhi government on a PIL seeking rehabilitation and vaccination of beggars, vagabonds and homeless while refusing to entertain plea for removing them from the streets and crossing traffic lights describing it as an “elitist attitude”.

A bench comprising Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice M.R. Shah sought response on the rehabilitation and vaccination of beggars, vagabonds while hearing a PIL by one Kush Kalra seeking to restrain beggars and vagabonds or those who are homeless from begging at traffic junctions, in markets and public places to avoid spread of Covid pandemic.

It, however, issued a notice to the Centre and Delhi government for their vaccination and rehabilitation as sought by the PIL petitioner.

At the outset of the hearing, the court said it cannot accept the prayer to

◗ A BENCH comprising Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice M.R. Shah sought response on the rehabilitation and vaccination of beggars, vagabonds while hearing a PIL by one Kush Kalra seeking to restrain beggars and vagabonds or those who are homeless from begging at traffic junctions, in markets and public places to avoid spread of Covid pandemic

stop begging.

“Your first prayer is to restrain people from being on the streets. Why do people beg on the street? It’s a function of poverty. As the Supreme Court, we will not take an elitist view. They have no choice. Nobody wants to beg,” said Justice Chandrachud heading the bench.

Refusing to adopt an elitist approach, Justice Chandrachud further said: “This is a wider issue of social welfare policy of the government. We can’t say that “keep them away from our eyes. If we issue a notice it would mean, we want that.”