SC grants interim stay on HC order directing UP govt to impose strict restrictions in 5 cities
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday granted interim stay on the Allahabad High Court order directing the Uttar Pradesh government to impose strict restrictions till April 26 in five cities amid surge in COVID-19 cases.
There shall be an interim stay on the order of the high court, a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said while hearing the state government's plea against the order passed on Monday.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Uttar Pradesh, said the state has taken several steps to contain the spread of coronavirus but to lockdown five cities by a judicial order may not be the right approach .
He said the state government has issued several directions and taken adequate precaution on the issue.
Mehta said the high court order would create immense administrative difficulties.
The apex court, while granting interim stay on the high court order, appointed senior advocate P S Narasimha as amicus curiae to assist in the matter.
The bench directed that the matter be listed after two weeks.
Earlier in the day, the apex court agreed to hear the plea of the Uttar Pradesh government against the high court order after the state requested urgent listing of the matter.
The high court had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to impose strict restrictions including closing of malls, shopping complexes and restaurants till April 26 in five cities, but stopped short of calling it a "complete lockdown".
Allahabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Nagar and Gorakhpur are the cities in which the high court has directed curbs.
The high court had said these curbs are "nowhere close to a complete lockdown".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
PM Modi to campaign in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapura today
Bengaluru (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bengaluru and neighbouring Chikkaballapura district for the Lok Sabha poll campaign on Saturday.
He will address mega rallies both in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapura.
Modi held mega rallies in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga last month. On April 14, he addressed a rally in Mysuru, during which he shared the dais with JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, and later held a roadshow in Mangaluru.
According to the state BJP, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address a mega public meeting at Chokkahalli village in Chikkaballapura district at 2 PM, covering Chikkballapur and Kolar Lok Sabha constituencies, and later at 4 PM he will participate in a massive rally in Bengaluru's palace ground, covering Bangalore North, Bangalore South, Bangalore Central and Bangalore Rural segments.
Bangalore -North, South and Central have been BJP's bastions, while Rural is represented by Congress' D K Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
Former Minister K Sudhakar is the BJP candidate from Chikkballapur, its alliance partner JD(S) has fielded M Mallesh Babu from Kolar Lok Sabha segment.
BJP's sitting MPs Tejasvi Surya and P C Mohan are candidates from Bangalore South and Central respectively. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje is in the fray from Bangalore North. In Bangalore Rural Deve Gowda's son-in-law and eminent cardiologist Dr C N Manjunath is contesting on a BJP ticket as per the arrangement with alliance partner JD(S).
Karnataka is going for polls in two phases. While14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern part of the state are going for election on April 26, in the second phase voting for the northern districts will be held on May 7.
