The Centre in Supreme Court has raised certain reservations in respect of the recommendations made by the panel that sex workers should not be arrested or penalised or harassed or victimised as voluntary sex work is not illegal and only running the brothel is unlawful. An SC-appointed panel has recommended various guidelines including one that, Whenever there is a raid on any brothel, since voluntary sex work is not illegal and only running the brothel is unlawful, the sex workers concerned should not be arrested or penalised or harassed or victimised.
Needless to say, this basic protection of human decency and dignity extends to sex workers and their children, who, bearing the brunt of social stigma attached to their work, are removed to the fringes of the society, deprived of their right to live with dignity and opportunities to provide the same to their children, the Supreme Court said while dealing with Centre reservation on certain recommendations of SC panel. The top court further observed, It need not be gainsaid that notwithstanding the profession, every individual in this the country has a right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
Additional Solicitor General Jayant Sud, submitted that the Government of India has certain reservations in respect of the recommendations that are made by the panel that voluntary sex work is not illegal and only running the brothel is unlawful and not taking action against sex workers. A bench of justices L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai and AS Bopanna Union of India is directed to file its response to the recommendations made by the panel within a period of six weeks and listed the matter for July 27..