Rishad, Muslim ex-MPs petition SC to quash Govt.’s COVID-19 body disposal order

Sri Lanka’s All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader and former MP Rishad Bathiudeen joined by several former MPs has filed a Fundamental Rights Petition in the Supreme Court on 14 May, citing the country’s top health officials as respondents. 

Former MP Rishad Bathiudeen

Bathiudeen is challenging the rules followed to dispose the bodies of suspected Muslim victims of COVID-19, which he alleges is done contrary to the method practiced by followers of the Islamic faith. In his petition SCFR107/2020 filed 14 May, Bathiudeen has cited the Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, and the Attorney General as respondents. 

Former MPs Seyed Ameer Ali (former ACMC MP), Abdullah Mohamed Mahroof (former ACMC MP), and Hussein Ahamed Bhaila (former Deputy Minister of External Affairs 2007-2010) are the other Petitioners joining Bathiudeen.

“The Petitioners are making the present application both in their own personal interest as well as in the public interest,” said Bathiudeen in his filing. 

“In light of the fact that there is no danger in carrying out burial which is practiced by many countries of the world, where COVID-19 death rates are very high, there is no reason for foregoing such religious practice of burial.”

Bathiudeen continued: “Since 28 March there have been occasions when the remains of a person who died in the context of the virus has been disposed of by the Government of Sri Lanka in exclusion of the right of the deceased or his or her relatives right to choose a mode of disposal of the cadaver in the context of the virus.  Up to the date of this Petition, there have been nine deaths reported from COVID-19. There has been some uncertainty as to whether the ninth person who died in fact died of COVID-19.”

The dignity of the dead, their cultural and religious traditions and their families should be respected and protected, Bathiudeen asserted.

“A person who has died of the COVID-19 virus could either be buried or cremated; the World Health Organization published interim guidance for the Infection Prevention and Control for the safe management of a dead body in the context of COVID-19. The COVID-19 virus is an acute respiratory illness caused by the said virus which predominantly affects the lungs; the virus is transmitted between people through droplets, fomites and close contact, with possible spread through faces. Unlike in the case of haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, Marburg, and Cholera, dead bodies are generally not infectious. In pandemic influenzas such the current pandemic, only the lungs are infectious and that too only if handled improperly during an autopsy.

“I state that in March 2020, the Ministry of Health published Provisional Clinical Practice Guidelines on COVID-19 suspected and confirmed patients. Chapter 7 of these MoH Guidelines dealing with ‘Autopsy practice and disposal of a dead body’ up until its third version published on 27 March, provided that a body related to death either confirmed (Category I) or suspected (Category II & III) of COVID-19, should be disposed within 24 hours (preferably within 12 hours) according to the following guidance; a) The body should never be washed under any circumstance; b) Cremation or burial is allowed; c) However, burial is allowed provided that all steps to prevent contact with body [are] ensured.”

However, Bathiudeen noted, on 31 March, immediately after the second COVID-19 death identified as a person of the Islamic faith, the Ministry of Health without any notice suddenly amended the MoH Guidelines and the fourth version with the amendments provided that a body related to death either confirmed (Category I) or suspected (Category II & III) of COVID-19 should be exclusively cremated within 24 hours (preferably within 12 hours).

“To my utter surprise and dismay, on or about 11 April the 1st Respondent Minister issued a Gazette Extraordinary 2170/8 dated 11-04-2020 purporting to create regulations pursuant to Section 2 and 3 of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance for the disposal of a dead body in the context of the virus. I state that, Regulation 61A in such Gazette Extraordinary No. 2170/8 deals with the method of disposal of person who has died of COVID-19 and states that the method of disposal of the COVID-19 confirmed dead body to be cremation. Section 3(1)(i) of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance permit Regulations to be made by the Minister for the following purposes, namely; ‘(i) for prescribing the mode of burial or cremation of any person dying of disease;’ I am advised to state that the aforesaid Regulation 61A, is ultra vires the powers granted to the 1st Respondent under Section 3(1)(i) the Ordinance. I am advised to state that the aforesaid Section 3(1)(i) of the Ordinance only allows the 1st Respondent to prescribe the mode of burial or cremation in the context of the virus but does not allow the 1st Respondent to prescribe cremation in preference to burial or vice versa.

“The Petitioners are advised to state that, the said Regulations are contrary to the provisions of written law including the provisions relating to sudden deaths and inquests in the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No 15 of 1979 (as amended). I verily believe that there is no scientific evidence to support a conclusion that cremation is safer than burial to prevent the infection from virus. I state that to the best of my knowledge, despite millions of infections of the virus across the world and hundreds of thousands of deaths and burials of cadavers across the world, hitherto there is not even a single report of infection being caused by burial of a cadaver. 

“The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has by letter dated 3 April written to the 2nd Respondent Director General Health Services observing that the WHO guidelines prescribe both burial and cremation and suggesting that a team of experts of all relevant areas be consulted to decide on the best course of action. In view of the imminent infringement of rights of many of the Islamic community on or around 8 May, I wrote to the President informing of the importance of conducting one’s funeral rites while respecting their religious beliefs. Thereby, requesting that the method of disposal of a dead body be amended to include burial as well. I state that I am therefore entitled in law to seek an Order quashing Regulation 61A in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2170/8 of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, published on 11 April 2020.”

ACMC Leader Bathiudeen has filed his application in terms of Articles 17 and 126 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.