The Supreme Court said shelter homes for beggars must ensure a dignified life and not be treated as charity, directing all states and UTs to reform such facilities as a constitutional duty to uphold the right to live with dignity.
The Supreme Court asserted that state-run shelters for beggars are not merely voluntary charitable initiatives but a constitutional obligation.
The court mandated that these shelters must provide dignified living conditions consistently.
A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan emphasized that all states and union territories are required to implement reforms in their shelter homes and similar facilities for beggars, ensuring the constitutional right to live with dignity for this vulnerable group is upheld.
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The bench noted that failing to maintain humane conditions in these shelters constitutes not only administrative negligence but also a violation of the fundamental right to a dignified life.
The Supreme Court highlighted that the state has a positive responsibility toward the poor and destitute, declaring that a beggar shelter is a constitutional trust managed by the state rather than an act of charity based on individual discretion.
The principles of constitutional morality encompassing freedom, privacy, and a dignified existence should be evident in their operation.
The Supreme Court directed that every individual admitted to a beggar shelter must undergo a medical examination by a qualified doctor within twenty-four hours. Monthly health check-ups are to be conducted, and a special system should be established to prevent, identify, and control infectious and waterborne diseases.
Additionally, all states and union territories are required to set minimum standards for hygiene and cleanliness in these shelters, which includes ensuring access to clean water, toilets, a proper drainage system, and pest and mosquito control.
This directive followed an outbreak of cholera and gastroenteritis caused by coliform bacteria contaminating the drinking and cooking water at a beggar shelter in Seelampur, Delhi.
The court mandated that all states and union territories conduct an independent and impartial third-party audit of beggar shelters every two years.