New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS): A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been moved in Delhi High Court challenging the guidelines issued by the government, in which it was directed that all international travellers will have to undergo a seven-day home quarantine on their arrival in India.

As per the guidelines, incoming travellers are required to upload their Covid-19 RT PCR test results on a government portal to be monitored by regional authorities on the eighth day, while continually monitoring their health for another week.

According to the petition filed by the Pravasi Legal Cell, through advocate M.P. Srivignesh, it was submitted that the guideline has affected the international passengers, especially NRIs and other Indians working abroad, to make a short visit to India for various reasons.

As per the petition, those passengers found symptomatic during the screening will be isolated and taken to a medical facility. If positive, their samples would be sent for genome sequencing to confirm if it is the Omicron strain. All other passengers have to observe seven days mandatory home quarantine.

Countries all over the world have made it mandatory for travellers to provide 72-hours pre-departure RT-PCR test results which are sufficient to show the person is not infected, the plea said, adding the mandatory quarantine made difficulties for all the Indians travelling back.