PIL in SC seeks full wages for MGNREGA workers for lockdown period

A fresh PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre and authorities to pay full wages to MGNREGA workers for the entire period of the nationwide lockdown.

The 21-day lockdown from March 25 was announced by the government to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by activists Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan.

It said that over seven crore workers registered under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Scheme be deemed to be on job during the lockdown period like other employees and they be paid full wages.

The plea, filed through lawyer Prashant Bhushan, assailed the direction of the Ministry of Rural Development to state governments that MGNREGA workers may be allowed to work wherever possible during the lockdown.

It has sought protection of fundamental rights to health and livelihood guaranteed under Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution for over 7.6 crore workers under the employment guarantee scheme.

"By the order dated March 24, issued under... the National Disaster Management Act, and binding on all ministries/instrumentalities of the central government and state governments, the central government has placed the entire country under a 'National Lockdown' with requisite exceptions only for essential services/goods to protect lives/ health of all citizens of the country by ensuring social physical distancing," the plea said
Forcing over 12 crore workers to seek work daily during the lockdown when public transport is not available and police have clear directions to apprehend non-essential worker amounted to violation of right to life and livelihood of these vulnerable citizens, it said