Australia: Decision to ban travel from India may be challenged legally

Australia's decision to penalise own citizen returning to country within 14 days of their stay in India has drawn deep criticism from inside Australia. There are signs that there will be legal challenge to this decision. 

Refusal to allow Australian citizens to come back to own country has put Australians in India in a situation. Those stranded also include high-profile cricketers.

From Monday, any traveller into Australia who has been in India in the past 14 days could face fines and jail time, adding to a temporary ban announced earlier this week, which will remain in place until at least May 15.

"The government should be looking for ways to safely quarantine Australians returning from India, instead of focusing their efforts on prison sentences and harsh punishments," Human Rights Watch Australia Director Elaine Pearson said.

Austalia's Health Minister defended the decision saying the government has not taken the decision lightly and that it intends to protect "the integrity of the Australian public health and quarantine systems"

Australian Chief Medical Officer Prof Paul Kelly has warned that Australian citizens stranded in India may face serious illness or even death in "worst-case scenario", reported Guardian.

Guardian further quoted CEO of a law firm who said that he was "actively looking into" this government decision and a court case was "very likely".