The High Court of Karnataka has ordered the state government to set up a grievance redress mechanism whereby people can file complaints of Covid rule violations through WhatsApp and Telegram.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka passed the order on Friday on a petition that has asked for strict enforcement of the Covid-appropriate behaviour, which includes masking up and maintaining social distance.
The government informed the court that it had established the grievance redress mechanism by issuing a notification on June 2, 2021. The court ordered the government to give wide publicity to the mechanism so that common people get to know about it. It stated that it would be better if the government could provide for filing complaints through WhatsApp and Telegram for reporting the violations of the Covid-appropriate behaviour.
Meanwhile, Geetha Misra, a city-based lawyer, has filed an application alleging violations of the Covid-appropriate behaviour when Chief Minister K S Yediyurappa inspected the Kengeri metro line last month. The event was also attended by cabinet ministers R Ashoka, Basavaraj Bommai and V Somanna, the applicant stated and cited similar violations at public programmes attended by minister M T B Nagaraj in Hoskote and Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil in his constituency.
The bench directed the applicants to file their grievances before the authorities through the new redress mechanism set up by the government, saying that would help test the efficacy of the system.
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The next hearing will take place on June 10.