NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to issue a clarification that mobile number, government issued identity card, photographs or even a residential proof ought not be insisted upon for COVID-19 test of mentally ill homeless persons.
Every person, who was to be tested for coronavirus, has to provide a govt issued identity proof and should have a valid phone number for tracing and tracking the individual and his/her contacts, according to an ICMR advisory.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan said that ICMR should issue a clarification by way of a circular or an office order that the identity proof, address proof and mobile number are not required for testing mentally ill homeless persons.
The high court said a camp can be organised for testing such persons as is being done across Delhi for others.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for ICMR, sought time to take instructions from the government regarding the observations made by the bench.
The high court, thereafter, listed the matter for further hearing on August 7. The bench was hearing a PIL moved by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking directions to ICMR and Delhi government.