SC dismisses pleas seeking inquiry into alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 pandemic
Oct 01, 2020
New Delhi [India], October 1 : The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a batch of petitions, filed by several retired bureaucrats led by KP Fabian, seeking directions to set up a commission of inquiry into the alleged "gross mismanagement" of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao and also comprising Justice Ajay Rastogi, dismissed the batch of petitions.
Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners, argued for setting up a commission of inquiry into the alleged gross mismanagement of the pandemic.
"This is a matter of public debate but the court cannot go into this. It is a matter of opinion. Nobody knew this would happen," Justice Rao remarked.
Listing out four reasons why the petitioners were seeking the commission of inquiry in the matter, Bhushan said," despite WHO warnings, despite advisory issued, 1 lakh people gathered on February 24, in a stadium when namaste "Trump event" was organised."
"Earlier, the Home Ministry had advised not to conduct such gatherings. But it was conducted. Why?" Bhushan argued before the apex court.
"Due to the lockdown imposed, there is a 24 percent decline in the GDP (gross domestic production) and jobs are being lost by many. 7 per cent of the people have lost their jobs. We have not been able to control the COVID and our economy has been shattered," he said.
Bhushan claimed that the lockdown was imposed without consulting experts.
"We have not maintained data as to who are the doctors and many healthcare professionals died. Two crores have lost their jobs. No planning was done prior. How they will travel and many people died due to the ill management of the situation?" Bhushan argued before the apex court.
