Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday sought to know why should the names of persons who have tested positive for COVID-19 be disclosed and said the issue involves privacy rights of such patients.
A division bench of Justices A A Sayed and M S Karnik made the observation while hearing a petition filed by two persons seeking disclosure of names of coronavirus patients to enable contact tracing and save others from getting infected.
The PIL has been filed by a law student, Vaishnavi Gholave, and a farmer from Solapur, Mahesh Gadekar.
The PIL said when the fundamental right to life and right to lead a healthy life clash with the fundamental right to privacy, then the court needs to see which of these rights would advance public morality and interest.
READ:|Mumbai: Another accused arrested for Ambedkar's house vandalism
"How far can one go in revealing the identity of the person who has tested positive (for COVID-19)? Privacy rights are involved. The authorities declare a particular place or building as a containment zone when someone tests positive so that people are made aware," Justice Sayed said.