‘With folded hands, we request you…’: Allahabad HC again urges UP govt to impose 14-day lockdown
The high court’s request comes nearly a week after the Supreme Court stayed the Allahabad High Court’s order directing lockdown in five cities of the state amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.
The Allahabad High Court once again urged the Uttar Pradesh government to impose a lockdown in the state for two weeks to contain the sharp rise in coronavirus cases.
Hearing a suo moto case on the COVID situation in Uttar Pradesh, a bench led by Justice Siddhart Varma said, “I again request, if things are not in control then impose a two-week lockdown. Please suggest it to your policy makers. It is blowing out of proportion, that is the first thing it seems.”
“There is a shortage of doctors, there is a shortage of staff, oxygen, there is no L1, L2. Everything is good on paper, but the fact is that there is shortage. With folded hands, we request you to exercise your discretion,” added Justice Varma.
This is the second time when the high court requested the UP government to consider imposing a complete lockdown in the most affected districts.
The high court’s request comes nearly a week after the Supreme Court stayed the Allahabad High Court’s order directing lockdown in five cities of the state amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.
The HC had earlier directed the Uttar Pradesh government to impose strict restrictions including the closing of malls, shopping complexes and restaurants till April 26 in five cities — Allahabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Nagar and Gorakhpur.
However, a top court bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde stayed the order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Uttar Pradesh, told it that the state government has taken several steps to contain the spread of coronavirus but to lockdown five cities by a judicial order may not be the right approach.
Last week, the Uttar Pradesh government announced to impose a weekend curfew from Friday evening to Monday morning in the entire state till further orders.
It also decided to continue with the night-long curfew on weekdays throughout the state.
