Delhi HC seeks Centre's response on plea seeking reforms, better healthcare for HIV patients, lists matter for 26 Nov

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Central government to file a response on a plea seeking immediate notification of a law to protect human rights of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-affected persons and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the Ministry of Health and the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) to file a response on the public interest litigation (PIL) which has sought immediate notification of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Prevention and Control) Act 2017.

The bench asked why the government is not notifying the law, and listed the matter for further hearing on 26 November.

The court was hearing a plea filed by a Delhi University student Shebani Rose Verma who has raised the question about over a year’s delay in notifying the act, which received Presidential assent on 20 April, 2017.

The legislation is aimed to prevent and control the spread of HIV and AIDS, and protect the human rights of persons affected by the virus.

The act also seeks to prohibit discrimination against persons with HIV and AIDS and to provide for confidentiality with regard to their treatment.