Plea in HC for proper supply of meat during lockdown

A PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the authorities here to ensure uninterrupted supply of meat as an essential item during the coronavirus lockdown period.

The plea, which was later withdrawn, sought a direction to the Delhi government and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to take steps including the opening of lone Ghazipur abattoir in a time-bound manner and facilitate the supply of meat by complying social distancing norms and other guidelines issued by the Centre.

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After making some submissions, the petitioner however sought to withdraw the public interest litigation which was allowed by the court.

“The petition is dismissed as withdrawn and disposed of accordingly,” a bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh said.

Petitioner Rishabh Bhargava, in the plea filed through advocate Arpit Bhargava, said the PIL raised a question of public importance whether any state government and the municipal corporation can be allowed to violate mandatory guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs during the nationwide lockdown and infringe upon fundamental rights of the citizens by non-availability of the essential item, meat, during the lockdown.

The bench, in its order, said it has not made any observations on the merit of the issues raised in the petition and they are left open to be determined in an appropriate proceeding.