Top court adjourns Covid-19 national emergency plan case to Tuesday

Even as thousands of Covid-19 patients struggled to get basic healthcare across the country, the Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the national emergency plan for next Tuesday. The adjournment came after amicus curiae and senior advocate Harish Salve decided to step down following criticism over his appointment.

‘I don't want the case to be decided under the shadow that I knew the Chief Justice," Salve said referring to reports that he was appointed as he was a school friend of outgoing CJI, S A Bobde.

The CJI, in turn, blasted several senior advocates for making statements in the media without reading its order passed on Thursday. "You have imputed motives to us without reading our order," the court told Dushyant Dave, who was representing the Gujarat High Court Bar Association. "We are also pained at reading what some senior lawyers have to say on Harish Salve's appointment as amicus in the matter," said the bench.  Salve's appointment was a collective decision of all the judges at the bench. Their order yesterday, the CJI said, did not stop High Courts from hearing cases related to Covid-19 management in the country, said the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, alarmed by the total collapse of the health care system, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the second Covid-19 wave that has created havoc in the country with millions of people running from pillar to post to get medicines and oxygen. The court had appointed Salve to help the court in finding a

The SC directed the Centre to file a response on four core issues including supply of oxygen, supply of essential drugs, the method and manner of vaccination, and the power of the state to issue lockdowns only and not by judicial order, unless the high court notes instances of human rights abuse.

Meanwhile the Delhi High Court directed all the local hospitals and nursing homes to approach the appointed Nodal Officer for Delhi, Udit Prakash with their oxygen requirements to ensure immediate help.

At the Karnataka High Court, the government informed the court that it has asked all hospitals to remove the requirement of negative RT-PCR reports for non-Covid patients. The Karnataka HC will hear the case on Monday.