SC asks Kerala to respond to plea against 3-day relaxation in curbs

Closing the suo motu case against Uttar Pradesh after the cancellation of the Kanwar Yatra, the Supreme Court on Monday turned its focus on the Kerala Government’s three days (July 19-21) relaxation of Covid lockdown norms in view of Eid-al-Adha directing the state government to file its response.

Directing Kerala government to file its reply to the applications questioning relaxation of lockdown norms for three days in the wake of Eid-al-Adha, a bench comprising Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice B.R.Gavai ordered the hearing of the matter as first item on

Tuesday.

Appearing for intervenor – a Delhi based P.K.D. Nambiar – senior lawyer Vikas Singh seeking the quashing of the relaxation order said that Kerala has 13,000 cases of Covid with a positivity rate of 10.96% which was much higher than Uttar Pradesh where Kanwar Yatra has been cancelled in view of Covid.

However, advocate G. Prakash appearing for Kerala told the court, “Only some shops have been opened in Kerala. Lockdown has been lifted squarely for this reason in some areas for facilitating the festival.

“... each day we are publishing Covid positive cases. We will file a detailed reply.”

Appearing for another intervenor, senior advocate K. Radhakrishnan argued that all social and religious congregations should be suspended till at least 80% of the population is vaccinated. The Court took the submission on record. He wanted the Centre and the state government to be vigilant to contain the infection of contagious diseases which can spread interstate.

Earlier in the hearing on Monday, the court agreed with senior lawyer C. S. Vaidyanathan that the local-level activity of a devotee visiting a local temple would not amount to a Yatra.

It closed the matter with a caution to the authorities not to allow any crowding anywhere in the name of religious rituals that violate the Covid-19 norms.

The court directed the Uttar Pradesh government, state authorities and police to take a stern view of any violation of Covid norms and take immediate action to curb any attempt to take out any yatra that poses threat to lives of citizens.

THE COURT agreed with lawyer Vaidyanathan that the local-level activity of a devotee visiting a local temple would not amount to a Yatra. It closed the matter with a caution to the authorities not to allow crowding anywhere in the name of religious rituals that violate the Covid norms.