The Uttar Pradesh government has urged the Supreme Court to overturn a High Court order imposing a lockdown in five cities – Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kanpur, and Gorakhpur – until April 26 in order to combat Covid. According to UP, the High Court cannot infringe on the executive’s domain.
The lockdown was ordered by the Allahabad High Court last evening, after the epidemic “virtually incapacitated our medical infrastructure…especially in cities like Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, and Gorakhpur,” according to the court.
The Yogi Adityanath-led government said in a statement that it had to safeguard both lives and livelihoods.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Uttar Pradesh government’s appeal against the lockdown order on Tuesday, and the case will be heard at the end of the board.
Tushar Mehta, a senior advocate, and Solicitor General raised the case before Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Tuesday, claiming that the judiciary does not have the authority to order a lockdown.
The High Court issued a number of orders, including a ban on religious practices as well as the closure of businesses, academic facilities, and shopping centers.
The court also directed all departments, government or private, to ban financial institutions, businesses delivering medical or health care, industrial and science establishments, and others providing basic services such as civic functions and public transportation on a day when UP registered a record 30,000 new cases in 24 hours.
For the period of the lockdown, the High Court has halted social meetings and events, including weddings.
It said that exceptions could be made for “already scheduled weddings” awaiting approval from the concerned District Magistrate, whose decision would be focused on the “current COVID-19 condition” in the region. However, only 25 people will be allowed to attend.
The High Court said that public travel on roads should be restricted, with the exception of medical emergencies.
