High Courts were bastions of ensuring justice during Covid-19: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday while dismissing an appeal by the Manipur government, observed that High Courts were bastions of ensuring that justice was dispensed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The court said this while dismissing an appeal filed by the Manipur government challenging the High Court's order directing the state to frame exhaustive rules for combating COVID-19.

A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli also remarked on the pathetic condition of quarantine centres maintained by the State.

Dismissing the appeal of the Manipur government, the Bench said that the High Court was absolutely justified in passing the directions.

"Our High Court's were bastions of ensuring that justice was done during the COVID-19 pandemic... Your standard quarantine centres were pathetic. There were no separate washrooms for male and female. Healthcare workers did not change the beddings regularly. The High Court has passed a calibrated order. We are not going to give you a character certificate," said the apex court.

The Manipur government had approached the top court challenging the Manipur High Court's July 16, 2020 order which had directed the State government to constitute a committee of experts that may advise the government as to the course of action that may be adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19, after holding regular deliberations with all the stakeholders.

The High Court had observed that even though the state government had been trying its best level to contain the pandemic, there was no information regarding the same in the public domain.