Karnataka HC Asks for Justification for registration in Seva Sindhu Portal.

Karnataka HC Asks for Justification for registration in Seva Sindhu Portal.

The Karnataka High Court has asked the State Government to justify its decision to make it is compulsory to for travellers coming from other states to register on the Seva Sindhu Portal to obtain an E-pass.

The bench comprising of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi said that the State Government will have to justify its action of taking self-declaration from the travellers.

The State Government will also have to justify the decision about asking the travellers to upload letters from employees on the portal for issuance of E-pass.

The bench further said that this decision by the State is completely illegal .

“ If it is a law you can make it mandatory. Self-registration on Seva Sindhu Portal is completely illegal. Aarogya Setu cannot be made mandatory. Under what provisions of law can you say that you need to register yourself on the Seva Sindhu Portal?’

A petition was filed in the Karnataka High Court by Advocate M Indira Priyadharshni. The petitioner pointed that clause 1 in the SOP issued on 8^th June which was issued by the Health and family Welfare of the State government which made registration on the portal mandatory for out of State travellers. The petitioner argued that the clause is not in accordance with unlock 3 guidelines which was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs which allows free inter and intra state travel of people and goods.

The mandatory registration on the portal is a violation of Fundamental Rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India

This move by the State will restrict the travel of workers of the unorganised sector who live across the border in nearby areas as its difficult for them to provide their identity leave alone registering on the portal, this will hamper their means of earning a livelihood.

The petition seeks to squash clause 1 of the SOP issued by the State Government.

The Court has given the State to file its Statement of objection by 24^th August and it will hear the petition on 25^th August.

 ( By Andrea Dsilva)

BOMBAY HIGH COURT:

Karnataka HC Asks for Justification for registration in Seva Sindhu Portal.