SC rejects PIL seeking probe into 'mismanagement' of COVID-19

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging the centre of mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic in the country was rejected by the Supreme Court, noting that it was up to the central government to look into the contentions in the plea.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by retired bureaucrats alleging gross mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country by the government.

A bench headed by Justice L N Rao was told by advocate Prashant Bhushan that on February 4, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued a health advisory but international passengers were not screened until March 4.

Bhushan said the "Namaste Trump" event was allowed to happen on February 24 and one lakh people had gathered at a stadium despite the MHA advisory cautioning against crowding in public places.

He submitted that experts had advised against a full lockdown and added that due to the lockdown the GDP came down by an unprecedented 23 percent and crores of jobs were lost.

The bench said that this is a matter for public debate and said, "we are not inclined to interfere." It added that contents of the plea are matters for the Government to look into it.

The petition alleged that the Centre failed to undertake timely and effective measures for containing transmission of the virus and sought an independent inquiry by a commission, appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1952.

PTI