Tuesday, July 19, 2011: Holding that “right to live with dignity” is a Constitutional right, the Supreme Court today directed the Centre, States and UTs to carry out a comprehensive survey to determine the number of sex workers in the country who are willing for rehabilitation.
A bench of justices Markandeya Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra in an order also directed the Centre and States to file affidavits within two weeks on suggestions and recommendations for improving the lot of sex workers.
It constituted a panel comprising senior advocates and NGOs to assist the court in monitoring the rehabilitation work of the sex workers.”We may reiterate that this exercise has been done by us because the word “life” in Article 21 of the Constitution of India has been interpreted in several decisions of this Court to mean a right to ”life with dignity” “It is only if a sex worker is able to earn a livelihood through technical skills rather than by selling her body that she can live with dignity, and that is why we have requested all the States and the Union of India to submit schemes for giving technical training to these sex workers,” the bench said.
The apex court passed the direction while dealing with a petition relating to plight of sex workers in which the bench had appointed senior counsel Jayant Bhushan as an amicus curiae.
“We further add that the affidavits which will be filed on behalf of several States and on behalf of the Union of India should focus on the implementation of the suggestions as we are acutely conscious that affidavits merely indicating and suggesting that States and the Union of India are doing enough would not be sufficient for the cause for which this matter has been taken up,” the bench said.
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