Karnataka govt moves SC against Kerala HC's order on lifting road blockade

The Karnataka government on Thursday approached the Supreme Court challenging the Kerala High Court's order for the lifting of the blockade on the National Highway linking to Kerala, saying it would lead to "disastrous consequences" and "serious outbreak" of COVID-19.

The state government contended there was an "extreme urgency" to pass the order on March 31 under the Epidemics Act, banning all movement of people and goods, including patients in order to prevent any further transmission of COVID-19. It said the blockade was the "need of the hour since Kasargod in Kerala had turned into a Coronavirus Hotspot having maximum cases of the infection".

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta would take up the matter on Friday.

In its plea, the Karnataka government further contended that the HC's order was "without any jurisdiction" and thus was "liable to be set aside".

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It contended the existing facilities in the Mangaluru district was not as much as to support patients from outside the State and there was every possibility of a serious outbreak of the COVID-19 in the border districts of Karnataka "if free ingress and outgress of patients" was allowed. It said local residents were strongly opposing any movement of traffic and opening of the check post as Kasargod itself recorded over 100 Corona positive patients.

Along with the state government's petition, the court has also listed Congress MP from Kasargod Rajmohan Unnithan's petition for a direction to the Karnataka government to open its border with Kerala at Talapaddi in Mangalore.

The BS Yeddyurappa government rushed to the top court after the Kerala HC had on Wednesday ordered the Centre to ensure lifting of the road blockade, reportedly put after a high incidence of COVID-19 positive cases in Kasargod.

Kerala, for its part, claimed the closure of road had obstructed people to access medical facilities in Mangaluru and even resulted into death of four persons, besides affecting supply of essential goods.