"Centre Has Been Acting In Utter Remiss And Insensitivity": Plea Before Supreme Court Seeks Intervention Into "Awry And Dilapidating State Of Affairs" In Maharashtra

A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking directions to State of Maharashtra and the Centre to supply oxygen cylinders, vaccines and essential drugs to all hospitals in Maharashtra and supply team of doctors and para medical emergency equipment from other states to Maharashtra. A three-judge Bench led by Justice Chandrachud was scheduled to hear the plea on Monday, but was unable to, owing to some technical glitches in the Court's server. The petitioner has approached the Court stating that expedient measures are required to be undertaken by the Centre to safeguard people of Maharashtra, who are prone to be infected with Coronavirus as cases are increasing at an alarming rate and medical infrastructure has fallen short to carter patients that require hospitalisation. The plea has stated that India, being a federal structure country, not only the State government but the Central government is equally responsible for safeguarding the life of its citizens. The fundamental rights of people of Maharashtra therefore needs to be safeguarded by both State and Centre. The petitioner has stated that presently the Central government has been acting in utter remiss and insensitivity, in as much as the Centre is not taking any measures to safeguards rights of people of Maharashtra. The petitioner, has approached the Court to seek ventilation of the plight of his fellow citizens who are dying because the Central and State government are not taking enough measures to safeguard lives of the people. The petitioner has argued that the State of Maharashtra has been facing acute shortage of Remdesivir and oxygen cylinders in the second covid wave, but hasn't received any help from the Centre, and requests made by the State were not acknowledged by the Centre. Citing the news paper reports that alleged that Maharashtra's CM contacted the PM regarding shortage of covid supplies and was told that the PM was campaigning in West Bengal, the petitioner has stated that if the news is true it shows very sad state of affairs in the country. "It is shocking and disappointing that at the stake of public health, the whole issue has been turned political, whereby the Centre and State government have been alleging petty things against each other, without taking any measures for helping public, and thus citizens of the State are facing dearth of basic amenities like medicines, injections, which are need of the hour in these times of health crisis" the plea has stated.The plea has argued that the shortage and crisis being faced by State of Maharashtra has turned into a political gimmick and the governments, instead of cooperating with each other and finding a solution at large, has been indulging in making allegations against each other. The plea has been filed by Advocate Harisha SR and drawn by Advocate Nikhil Kholi on behalf of the petitioner, Shivshanker Kisanrao Shetakar.

"Centre Has Been Acting In Utter Remiss And Insensitivity": Plea Before Supreme Court Seeks Intervention Into "Awry And Dilapidating State Of Affairs" In Maharashtra

Srishti Ojha

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