Kerala-Karnataka border row resolved, Centre tells top court

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of a bunch of petitions against the closure of the Kerala-Karnataka border as part of measures to check the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic after the Centre informed it about a protocol put in place to facilitate a free movement of patients between the two states.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre, told the court that the protocol was agreed to after a meeting of officials of Union home ministry and the two states. The protocol will facilitate a free movement of patients seeking treatment along the interstate border in Karnataka’s Mangalore.

“In view of the above statement, the instant special leave petitions and the writ petitions are disposed of,” the court said in its order.

The Supreme Court earlier on April 3 asked the two states and the Centre to arrive at an amicable solution to ensure movement of vehicles in case of medical emergencies.

Karnataka blocked National Highway 66 connecting the state with Kerala’s northern districts last month. The Kerala high court on April 1 noted that the national highway network comes under the Centre while ordering the removal of the blockade on a petition of a group of lawyers. Karnataka moved the Supreme Court against the order on April 2.

The apex court separately on Tuesday issued a notice to the Centre and the Assam government on a plea that has sought the release of three people, who have spent over two years in foreigners’ detention centres. One Rajubala Das, the petitioner, highlighted the risk of the Covid-19 spread due to overcrowding.

The court gave liberty to the petitioner to share a copy of the petition with Mehta and posted the case for hearing next on April 13. The petitioner has cited the SC’s March 23 order directing states and UTs to set up high powered committees to determine which class of prisoners can be released on parole or interim bail.

There are six detention centres in Assam where 802 persons are lodged as on March 6 for illegally entering the country.