The top court asked Kerala to file its reply within 24 hours and agreed to take up the issue on Tuesday.
A petition was filed before the SC Bench headed by Justice RF Nariman, which forced the UP government to ban Kanwar Yatra due to the COVID pandemic, challenging the three-day relaxation in the lockdown norms in Kerala by the state government for Bakrid.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has directed all the authorities, including the UP government and the police, to take immediate action to prevent any violation of the COVID norms or any attempt to evade any travel and cause danger to the lives of citizens. asked for
Senior Advocate appearing for the petitioner Vikas Singh The top court said that the official positivity rate in Kerala is 10.96% and yet relaxation has been given. Kerala has 13,000 cases while UP has very few. SC should pass an order quashing the exemption.
In response, Kerala said that it has opened only a few shops for the festival and otherwise strictly adheres to all COVID norms.
Intervention Application A PKD . was transferred by nambiar, a Delhi resident, in the suo motu case already initiated by the Supreme Court in connection with the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision on ‘Kanwar Yatra’.
The application states that despite the dissatisfaction shown by the apex court on the yatra, the Kerala government is acting in a haphazard manner by easing the COVID norms. “In order to utterly dismay the citizens of India, the Government of Kerala has announced relaxation of the lockdown restrictions by 3 days on 18th, 19th and 20th July keeping in view the upcoming Bakrid festival,” the petition said.
Nambiar argued that Kerala is showing alarming numbers of Covid cases, though other states have improved their position. The petition said, “It is shocking that in a medical emergency, the Government is playing with the lives of citizens through such measures. This move of the Government is in full compliance with the order dated July 16 passed by this Court.” kind of infringement.”
On July 16, the apex court had pointed out that the fear of a third Covid wave was taking a toll on all Indians as it asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider its decision on a physical Kanwar Yatra.
On the Uttar Pradesh government’s symbolic Kanwar Yatra proposal, the court had replied, “right to life is paramount” and asked the government to reconsider its position on the annual ritual, which sees heavy movement of pilgrims across states in the northern belt. is.
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