Not possible at this stage to evacuate Indians stranded in USA amid Covid-19: Centre to SC

The Centre Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it would not be possible to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in the US due to travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic and bring them back at this stage.

Taking note of the submission, the top court observed that it would pass any order for the evacuation now.

The government, which placed a status report before the apex court and apprised it of steps taken by the Centre, said that representations could be made within two weeks regarding "specific vulnerable people" stranded in USA to the designated officers as mentioned in the list attached with the report filed by the Ministry of External Affairs.

A bench of Justices N V Ramana, S K Kaul and B R Gavai observed that the US government was extending visas of stranded Indians, who are spread across America, and it would be difficult for the court to pass direction for bringing them back at this stage.

"In reply to prayer made in the instant petition preferred under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, a detailed status report has been filed, setting out the steps already taken by the Government of India, showing its proactive approach," the bench noted in its order.

"However, the Solicitor General submits that it would not be possible to evacuate people from the US to India at this stage," noted the bench, which disposed of the plea seeking direction to the Centre to bring back vulnerable Indian citizens, particularly those on temporary visas, from the US.

Regarding the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta about representing to designated officers, the bench said, "On such a representation being filed by the petitioners, the concerned authorities are directed to consider the same on its own merits and take appropriate steps to ameliorate the conditions of those in USA."