SC seeks Centre's response to plea seeking free COVID-19 testing facility

The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Centre on public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions for providing free of cost COVID-19 testing facility to citizens at private and government testing labs. Hearing the PIL through video conferencing, a bench headed by Justice L Nageshwar Rao and also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta issued notices to the government over the same.

The PIL was filed by advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi and argued to provide free COVID-19 testing to all citizens irrespective of their financial status across the country. “The ultimate aim of testing is to contain the spread of the deadly virus in the society and for this, the government is also taking various steps including lockdown. If free testing is not conducted, then all government’s efforts will be forfeited,” Sudhi told the court.

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Increase testing, resume duties at private hospitals

The plea sought directions to the Central government, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and others for ramping up the testing facilities of COVID-19 at the earliest given the escalating mortality and morbidity rate across the country.

Shashank Deo Sudhi also sought directions to proclaim an order for the urgent resumption of duties of all private hospitals including its doctors and paramedical staff in order to effectively fight the novel coronavirus. The PIL said the country’s health infrastructure is understaffed and under-resourced.

The bench has now posted the PIL for consideration next week. The court also asked the petitioner to serve the copy of the petition to the Solicitor General through e-mail.

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PIL to convert hotels into Quarantine Centres dismissed 

Earlier in the day, the top court had disposed off an application seeking directions for nationwide acquisition and conversion of hotels, resorts, guesthouses etc. to shelter homes, quarantine centres and isolation wards. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had contended that the government has already initiated the process.

(With ANI inputs) (PTI photo)

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