UP govt moves SC, refuses to follow HC order to impose lockdown

SC will hear the matter today

The Uttar Pradesh government moved the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order on imposing lockdown in its five cities, on the ground that the High Court did not have the domain to issue such kind of directions, according to news agency ANI.

The Chief Justice of India (CJI)-led bench of the Supreme Court has decided to hear the matter today.

As coronavirus deaths continue to ravage Uttar Pradesh's health infrastructure, the Uttar Pradesh government had on Monday evening refused to follow Allahabad High Court directions to impose a lockdown in five cities till April 26.

UP Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal had said that there will be no "complete lockdown" in the cities for now arguing that people are automatically closing many places. Alongside saving lives, protecting livelihoods is also important, he said, according to news agency PTI.

Also read: Allahabad HC orders week-long lockdown in five Uttar Pradesh cities

The Allahabad High Court had on April 19 directed the Uttar Pradesh government to impose strict restrictions including the closing of malls, shopping complexes and restaurants till April 26 in five cities, but stopped short of calling it a "complete lockdown".

The court also slammed the state government for "not planning" for a second wave of the pandemic and criticised the State Election Commission for holding the panchayat elections at this time and "exposing" poll officials to the threat of the virus.

Also read: India sees worst spike in death toll, logs over 2 lakh Covid-19 cases for 6th straight day

Passing restrictions for Allahabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur cities, the two-judge bench comprising justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar, said these curbs are "nowhere close to a complete lockdown".

The court said in its order, "If we have not imposed a lockdown it does not mean that we do not believe in it. We are still of the view that if we want to break the chain a lockdown for a duration of at least two weeks is a must."

Later in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Chief Minister and took stock of the measures being taken to control the coronavirus pandemic.

"The CM told the PM that the state was working with full devotion to check the spread (of the virus). In addition to ensuring availability of ICU beds and oxygen, the state is working on maximum testing," according to an official statement issued.

(With PTI inputs)