HC: Wearing of face mask shouldn’t be an ego issue

New Delhi, Feb. 8: Wearing of mask should not be an ego issue as it’s for one’s own safety from the Covid infection, the Delhi high court has observed while hearing a plea challenging imposition of challan for not wearing mask while driving a private car alone.

Justice Prathiba M. Singh orally observed that wearing a mask even when travelling alone in the car is for one’s own safety from the virus because when a person stops the vehicle at the traffic signal and puts the window down, there is a chance to catch the infection.

“You cannot make it an ego issue...wearing a mask,” the judge said, and warned the petitioner of imposing cost on him.

The court was hearing a plea by petitionerlawyer, Saurabh Sharma, claiming that on September 9, 2020, while driving to work he was stopped by Delhi Police officials and was challaned `500 for not wearing a mask even though he was alone in his private car. Advocate Farman Ali Magray, appearing for the ministry of health and family welfare, submitted that the ministry has not issued any direction asking people to wear masks in a car when they are alone.

Ahmedabad, Feb. 8: Gujarat Congress MLA Imran Khedawala on Monday tendered his resignation to state party president Amit Chavda to express displeasure over ticket allocation in award under his Assembly segment in Ahmedabad for the upcoming municipal corporation elections.

State Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said Mr Khedawala submitted his resignation from the party to Chavda but it was not accepted.

Mr Khedawala said he is unhappy with the way tickets were given to Congress candidates in the Behrampura ward of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation that falls under his Assembly constituency Jamalpur Khadia.

“In addition to tickets given to four candidates from the Behrampura ward under my constituency, the party gave mandate to two more candidates separately.

“I told the (GPCC) president (Chavda) that this is not done as this shows lack of discipline in the party. The party should not do in justice to dedicated workers in my Assembly constituency,” he told reporters.

“To make my point, I submitted my resignation,” he said.