Uttar Pradesh: Allahabad High Court reiterated the imposition of a two-week lockdown in the state to break the chain of infection. Earlier, the AHC had urged the UP government to impose a lockdown in five cities of the state that sprouted as hotspots.
Justice Verma, chairing a Suo moto case on the COVID Crisis in UP, said” I again request, if things are not in control, then impose a two-week lockdown. Please suggest it to your policymakers. It is blowing out of proportion, that is the first thing it seems.” He further said,” here 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 a shortage. With folded hands, we request you to exercise your discretion.”
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 UP government was directed to impose a partial lockdown in five cities that sprawled as COVID Hotspots. Allahabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Nagar, and Gorakhpur recorded a huge surge amidst other cities of the state.
However, a top court bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde stayed the order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Uttar Pradesh, quoting necessary precautions to curb the spread are being implemented, but to lockdown five cities by a judicial order may not be the right approach.
Following this, the state was under a weekend night curfew from Friday evening to Monday morning. The state has decided to continue the night curfew during the weekdays also.