Covid-19: Telangana High court impleads State Election Commission

The SEC is to issue SOPs to be followed during the election on April 30 and also during the counting of votes.

Hyderabad: The High Court on Tuesday issued several directions to the State government on various fronts to ensure a stricter approach to mitigate the Covid pandemic.

A two-judge panel, comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, dealing with a batch of petitions on the Covid-19 crisis, noted that many factors were not addressed in the latest report of the government.

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The Chief Justice said as municipal elections in five districts and two corporations are approaching, there is a high possibility of a spike in infections and accordingly, directed that the State Election Commission (SEC) be impleaded to the present proceedings. The SEC is to issue SOPs to be followed during the election on April 30 and also during the counting of votes.

The details of the same should be furnished in an affidavit to be filed by the SEC at the next hearing, the court said.

The status report filed by the Secretary, Department of Public Health, Telangana, had data collated for the period between April 1 and April 21 that provides information on testing throughout the State. The panel noted that there is an urgent need to increase RT-PCR tests.

“The capability of the State to conduct 30,000 RT-PCR tests daily should lead to a better ratio of RT-PCR tests against lesser efficacious rapid antigen tests,” the court added.

The panel observed that the State had discontinued publishing district bulletins post the disparity in data presented to the court. The panel directed the State to ensure that such data should be published every day on the district websites.

The panel directed the government to re-introduce the HITAM app, which was earlier introduced by the State government to facilitate online consultations with medical professionals during home quarantine, as Covid patients are being encouraged to tackle the disease by quarantining themselves at home.

The Centre’s advisory issued on Monday to take necessary measures to impose local restrictions was brought to the notice of the panel. The Advocate General was asked to furnish details on steps that are proposed to be taken upon the expiry of the night curfew restrictions.

The Chief Justice, to a suggestion for a complete lockdown, said it is for the government to make a decision. The panel further noted that individuals have been facing difficulties due to the unavailability of funeral vehicles and directed the Advocate General to look into the possibility of a dedicated hotline for facilitating such needs of the public.

Details of the availability of crematoriums and burial grounds in districts with a high death rate are to be furnished by the State in their next status report.

The Additional Solicitor General Surya Karan Reddy said Telangana was allotted 91,190 vials of Remdesivir between April 21 and April 25. The same accounts for 10.5% of the total supply within the country. He further said 433 tonnes of oxygen was allocated per day to the State from Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The panel directed the Centre to file an affidavit on increasing the supply to 600 tonnes per day as requested by the State.

The panel also directed the State to act actively in booking those flouting Covid guidelines such as masking. Referring to just five cases of violation of the physical distancing norm, the bench pointed out that such figures cannot be believed.

It directed the State to submit a report on the extension of vaccination to old-age homes and institutions of people with disabilities. The panel noted that it would be counter-productive to transport people with co-morbidities to vaccination centers and directed the State to take efforts to provide vaccination at their doorstep. The panel posted the case on April 29.

Casteist slur: Govt teacher’s plea junked

Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili of the High Court on Tuesday refused to interfere in a writ petition where a government school teacher complained of caste discrimination.

The judge disposed of the case filed by B Sreekanth Verma, a teacher in Mandal Parishad Primary School of Mahabubnagar district, seeking directions to initiate appropriate disciplinary action against the respondents who are his colleagues and school officials who constantly passed casteist comments.

The counsel appearing for Sreekanth said an Internal Complaints Committee also does not exist and he had no remedy but to approach the court. However, the judge said the case is not maintainable. He directed the petitioner to approach the Collector if he wishes to.

Public hearing on open-cast mines stayed

Justice Abhishek Reddy of the High Court stayed public hearing of the objection on open-cast mines at Ramagundam-Singareni Collieries. The judge made the order in a writ petition filed by Raj Thakur complaining of a public hearing in the midst of the second wave of Covid-19.

The judge pointed out that when the notification for the public hearing was issued, the second wave of the Covid was not anticipated. As things stand, he reasoned that there is a need to revisit the notification.

The judge made it clear that the further steps would be in furtherance of the earlier notification but notice to the concerned shall be given. The court said the authorities concerned would renew its decision after 15 days.

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