Yesterday, the Public Interest Litigation by which the Allahabad High Court is monitoring the fight against COVID-19 Pandemic was listed, and the Court has issued further directions.
The Division Bench of Allahabad High Court has again insisted upon wearing of the mask by public prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Hon’ble Judges referred to their order dated 23.09.2020, with regard to compulsory wearing of masks and noted that it has been informed by various counsel present in the Court during the hearing of this PIL that 100 per cent masking is yet to take place.
For this purpose, the Allahabad High Court directed the Authorities at the helm of affairs to take further action in the following manner:
- All Heads of the Department in the whole State of U.P. should send reminders to their employees that they and their family members have to wear masks compulsorily. This should be done on a daily basis.
- The State Police should itself wear masks religiously and also see that everyone in their vicinity wears the masks. Here it may be mentioned that the security personnel deputed outside the houses of various dignitaries have not been wearing their masks. They should wear their masks and also request people passing by them that they should also wear masks.
- All shops even other than eateries shall ensure that the customers/ individuals who enter their premises shall wear their masks at all times. Needless to say that non-wearing of masks would invite penalty and prosecution.
- The Advocate Commissioners appointed by this Court may continue to take photographs as have been taken by them in the past and the State Authority may take action on those photographs.
The Court has also considered the issue of overlapping of power between the development authorities and Nagar Nigam with respect to removal of Encroachments. After considering all the relevant provisions, the Allahabad High Court has directed that the Development Authority, Prayagraj shall immediately proceed to remove all unauthorized encroachments from the public road and roadside land and other public places in Prayagraj with immediate effect.
Allahabad High Court has also appreciated the work being done by the Advocate Commissioners in these days of the pandemic. The Court has directed that the Advocate Commissioners be paid a minimum of Rs.500/-per report which they have submitted. This is in consonance with the Circular dated 26.04.2016 issued by National Legal Services Authority wherein every counsel has to be paid a minimum of Rs.500/- per application which is filed.
Not the matter has been posted for 14.10.2020.
Case Details
Title- In-Re Inhuman Condition At Quarantine Centres And For Providing Better Treatment To Corona Positive vs State of U.P.
Case No.- Public Interest Litigation (Pil) No. 574 Of 2020
Date of Order- 07.10.2020
Coram-Hon’ble Justice Siddhartha Varma and Hon’ble Justice Ajit Kumar
Counsel for Petitioner :- Gaurav Kumar Gaur,Aditya Singh Parihar,Amitanshu Gour,Arvind Kumar Goswami,Jitendra Kumar,Katyayini,Rahul Sahai,Rishu Mishra,S.P.S.
Chauhan, S atyaveer Singh, Shailendra Garg, Sunita Sharma,Swetashwa Agarwal,Uttar Kumar Goswami
Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C.,Dhiraj Singh,Hari Nath Tripathi,Purnendu Kumar Singh,Satyavrat Sahai,Sunil Dutt Kautilya
