HC calls for mandatory community service

The Gujarat high court on Wednesday ordered the state government to come up with a notification, making it mandatory for those violating the face mask rule to do community service at Covid-19 centres as a punishment in addition to the fine imposed on them.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice J B Pardiwala said the community service at Covid-19 centres shall be non-medical in nature and shall be for four- six hours for a period of 5 to 15 days, as authorities deem it fit and necessary.

The HC also asked the government to widely publicise this in the media so it could have a “desirable deterrent effect”, noting that a person not wearing a mask is not only putting himself at risk, but putting the community at risk. “Hence, the said violator must extend services to the community which is put at risk,” the court said.

It said the recent spike in Covid-19 cases can largely be attributed to the negligence and recklessness of the public at large in not maintaining the social distancing norms and not diligently and strictly wearing face masks/coverings. “We are of the view that the state must come out with a policy or order directing that all those caught not wearing face cover/ mask shall be listed for community service,” the court said. The order came on a PIL seeking the court’s direction to make community service at Covid-19 centres mandatory for face mask rule violators.

The PIL, filed by advocate Vishal Awtani, said many people were found violating the rule, resulting in a spike in Covid-19 cases.