Communicate with other states about UK returnees, Karnataka High Court to govt

The High Court has asked the state government to provide information to the other states about the travellers from the United Kingdom, who were allowed to leave the Kempegowda International Airport without RT-PCR test.

A division bench, headed by Chief justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, passed this direction after going through the submissions made by the state government.

The court asked the additional government advocate as to why 1,138 passengers, belonging to other states, were allowed to leave Bengaluru Airport without RT-PCR tests.

The advocate said that most of the passengers arrived at the Bengaluru airport between December 7 and 21. “It will be appropriate if the state government immediately communicates to the concerned states the names and addresses of 1,138 passengers who have already travelled to various States,” the court said.

The court also observed that still more than 600 passengers, who returned from the UK, have not been subjected to RT PCR tests in the state.

The government advocate informed the court that the number includes children below 10 years of age, who cannot be subjected to RT PCR tests.

The court then asked the government to make its stand clear on the basis of the actual details. The government was directed to file further written submissions clarifying these aspects. The next hearing has been posted to January 27.