Letter to Jawaharlal National University Against Mandatory Installation of Aarogya Setu by Employees and Students

Recently, the Jawaharlal National University (JNU) made Aarogya Setu mandatory for its employees and students vide order number 01/Admin./Corona(COVID-19)/Misc./2020 dated 21.10.2020. The order reads as “every individual working in the university as an employee or a student should have Aarogya Setu app on their phones. Use of Aarogya Setu by all on campus is mandatory. If unsafe status of Aarogya Setu App is displayed, he/she will not allowed to enter the University campus.”

Recently, the Karnataka High Court, in its order dated 19.10.2020 in Anivar A Aravind vs. Ministry of Home Affairs (WP (C) 7483 of 2020) ordered that: “Neither the State Government not the Central Government or its agencies or instrumentalities can deny any benefit to a citizen only on the ground that he has not installed the Arogya Sethu application on his cell phone.” The Ministry of Home Affairs Guidelines for re-opening dated 30.09.2020 also make installation of Aarogya Setu on “best-efforts” basis.

SFLC.in wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of JNU urging him to reconsider the mandatory installation of Aarogya Setu. Read our letter to the JNU administration here: