There cannot be super-government to handle Covid-19 crisis says Apex Court

The Apex Court bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea which sought directions to provide the police personnel with Personal protective equipment (PPE). Everybody is going through a tough time, they are at the forefront, best is to look after them, there can not be a 'super-government' to look after them, said Justice Kaul.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan refused to entertain a plea which sought directions to provide the police personnel with Personal protective equipment (PPE) and asked the petitioner to make a representation before the appropriate authorities as they cannot direct the states in their internal policy matters.

The government is not doing its work properly, therefore, the petitioner has approached the apex court and ultimately it is the states who have to take care of the people but they are failing to do so, contended Advocate Devdatt Kamat.

He also informed the court that police officers above 55 years of age are being asked to work, salaries are being deducted by some states like Rajasthan, Odisha and Telangana and there is no uniform policy regarding this.

The bench said that these are all policy matters and questioned if they can direct the states regarding this. "The problem we find is that everyone has become an expert in COVID matters, no other petitions coming," said Justice SK Kaul. He said that people are creating work when there is no work and its sorry to see such petitions.

Everybody is going through a tough time, they are on the forefront, best is to look after them, there can not be a 'super-government' to look after them, said Kaul.

Justice Bhushan said that they won't entertain this petition but would allow the petitioner to make a representation before the government.