Wangchuk weak, Delhi HC orders regular monitoring
Delhi High Court orders regular medical monitoring of activist Sonam Wangchuk during a prolonged hunger strike at Jantar Mantar
- The Delhi High Court directed regular checks by government doctors for Sonam Wangchuk during an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.
- Doctors feared that Sonam Wangchuk’s body could begin breaking down muscle tissue and could soon affect vital organs.
- The Union government told the Delhi High Court that Sonam Wangchuk was already receiving daily health checks and that medical intervention would be arranged if doctors recommended it.
What happened
The Delhi High Court directed that activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on the 19th day of an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, must be checked regularly by government doctors.
The court acted after hearing that Wangchuk’s condition had become critical. The hearing arose from a public interest petition filed by activist-lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini.
The Delhi High Court order highlights the balance between the right to protest and the State and court duty to protect life and health under Article 21 of the Constitution. The case also links public interest litigation, judicial supervision of medical care, and the limits of prolonged hunger strikes as a form of protest.
