SC to hear PIL against Covid-19 protocol violation during polls, Kumbh Mela

The Supreme Court on Monday will hear the Public Interest Litigation PIL filed by Noidabased AdvocateonRecord AOR Sanjai Kumar Pathak seeking directions for strict enforcement of Covid19 pandemic guidelines and for action against all those who had allegedly violated protocols during Assembly elections in several states and at the Kumbh MelaA threejudge bench of the Apex Court headed by Justice Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and also comprising Justices Nageshwar Rao and Ravindra Bhat will hear the petition filed by the advocate Pathak who filed the plea on April 16Pathak had in his plea filed before the Apex court sought immediate strict directions to the Union of India UOI and the state of Uttarakhand to withdraw all the advertisements inviting people to Haridwar for Kumbh keeping in view the worrisome facts and figures of coronavirus pandemicAlso Read 70 lakh participated in Kumbh Mela held amid COVID19 surgeHe also sought that the Central Uttarakhand government and the National Disaster Management Authority NDMA be directed immediately to clear the mass gathering from Haridwar city as soon as possible and prescribe a safety protocol with respect to the people returning from Kumbh to their homesThe petitioner further sought a direction from the top court to the Central and state government to not encourage or promote any gathering or event inconsistent with the spirit and object of the Covid19 guidelines and or orders issued by the UOI and NDMAAnother direction sought through the plea is that the Election Commission of India ECI should issue direction to the concerned authorities in the states where elections are being held to strictly enforce Covid19 guidelines against the candidates campaigners and public during the election process and to take appropriate action against the violators in accordance with lawPathak in his petition a copy of which was accessed by ANI sought directions to the authorities to identify the violators of Covid19 guidelines during the election process and to take appropriate action against them in accordance with lawOn April 16 2021 India reported more than 2 lakh new cases of Covid19 positive patients The health infrastructure is crumbling in many states Hospitals and crematoriums are running out of space Shortage of essential drugs is reported from many cities Pathak said in his petitionKerala Puducherry Tamil Nadu Assam and West Bengal Assembly elections were held The respondent number 4 the ECI had not been able to enforce the Covid19 Rules and regulations during the political rallies and campaigning Pathak said in his petitionThe Union Home Minister the Chief Ministers of respective states and host of star campaigners could be seen flouting the Covid19 norms Pathak said in his petitionAs India witnesses its highest surge in Covid19 since the onset of the pandemic but visuals had surfaced of lakhs of devotees crowding in Haridwar Uttarakhand for Kumbh Mela and in the election rallies in states ignoring the most basic of Covid19 protocols Pathak addedEven though the disease is currently spreading at breakneck speed across the country the Indian railways had organised 25 special trains to facilitate congregation and to link Haridwar Kumbh Mela to various locations for the pilgrims as per certain media report the plea read furtherThe Union health minister blamed the heightened spread of Covid19 on ordinary citizens saying that they became very careless and were no longer following social distancing norms Pathak claimed in his petition filed before the Supreme CourtOn the one hand poor people on the street are often punished and treated violently by the police and executive authorities for individual violations of Covid19 rules and regulations in the name of strict enforcement on the other hand the authorities are not only permitting but facilitating and promoting congregation of people in the events like Kumbh2021 and Election rallies Pathak in his petition saidldquoIt is visibly clear that two separate and mutually inconsistent standards are being adopted by the authorities in dealing with the citizens of Indiardquo Pathak said in his petitionThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever