IN RE PROBLEMS AND MISERIES OF MIGRANT LABOURERS

Supreme Court of India (Division Bench (DB)- Two Judge)

SUO MOTU WRIT PETITION (CIVIL), 6 of 2020, Judgment Date: Jun 29, 2021

The Worldwide Pandemic COVID-19 engulfed this country in March, 2020 and continues till date changing its face from time to time. Different mutations in the virus have made it dangerous and fatal at times. The pandemic had affected each and every person in the world including all citizens of this country. The pandemic has adversely affected all businesses including the small scale businesses, industries, markets and smallest of the person.

One of the groups, which were severally affected by the pandemic, was the migrant labouers. When Nationwide Lockdown was declared on 24.03.2020, after few days, there was huge exodus of the migrant labourers from their place of work to their native places. Two primary reasons which resulted in the exodus were cessation of employment due to lockdown and fear of the pandemic. When large number of migrant labourers started walking on highways on foot, cycles and other modes of transports without food and facing several untold miseries, this Court suo motu took cognizance of the problems and miseries of the migrant labourers by its order dated 26.05.2020 on which date, this Suo Motu Writ Petition had been registered. We had issued the notice to the Union of India and all States / Union Territories and directed the learned Solicitor General to assist the Court and by the next date of hearing bring in the notice of the Court all measures and steps taken by the Government of India and to be taken in this regard.

IN RE PROBLEMS AND MISERIES OF MIGRANT LABOURERS