Goa govt opposes PIL for declaring CM's health status in High Court

PANAJI: Citing the fundamental right to privacy, the Goa government has opposed a plea seeking the High Court's direction to the state administration to declare the health status of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

In an affidavit filed before Justice R M Borde of the Goa bench of the high court on Friday, state Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma questioned the maintainability of the petition filed by activist Trajano D'Mello a month ago.

"Like any other person who may not occupy public office has a right to not disclose his health problems to the public. If a person is directed to disclose his health ailments to the public merely because he happens to be the CM, the same would be the violation of Right to Privacy under Article 21," it stated.

In his public interest litigation, D'Mello had claimed "administrative collapse" in Goa due to extended absence of Parrikar, 62, from office.