Was the lockdown constitutional? Gujarat HC asks Centre to respond to plea

The PIL, filed by one Vishvas Bhamburkar through his lawyer KR Koshti, sought the court's direction to declare the lockdown 'unconstitutional and ultra vires'

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and state government to respond to a PIL which challenged the constitutional validity of the coronavirus-induced lockdown by claiming it forced people under "house arrest" without any backing of law, and left the vulnerable section struggling for survival with no safeguards provided to them before its implementation.

The division bench of Justices RM Chhaya and IJ Vora directed the government pleader and assistant solicitor general to take instructions from the Central and state governments and submit a report on June 19, and tag the PIL with other PILs related to coronavirus and