Covid-19: Mask not mandatory if driving alone in Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 04: The Delhi government on Friday withdrew its order making it compulsory to wear a mask while driving alone.

The Delhi High Court Tuesday termed as "absurd" a Delhi government order making it compulsory to wear a mask while driving alone in the context of COVID-19 and asked why the decision was still prevailing.

"It is a Delhi government order, why don't you withdraw it. It is absurd actually. You are sitting in your own car and you must wear the mask?" the bench said.

"Why is this order prevailing? Take instructions," a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh told the Delhi government counsel.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had told the court that it has not issued any direction asking people to wear masks in a car when they are alone and that health is a state subject and the Delhi government has to decide on it.

The Delhi government had told the court that wearing masks while driving an official or personal vehicle was made compulsory through an office order in April 2020 and it remained in force.
It had also said a private vehicle was held to be a public place by the Supreme Court.