SC rejects PIL for independent probe into 'mismanagement' of COVID-19 pandemic

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a PIL filed by retired bureaucrats alleging gross mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country by the government.

A bench headed by Justice L N Rao was told by advocate Prashant Bhushan that on February 4, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued an advisory but international passenger were not screened until March 4.

Bhushan said the “Namaste Trump” event was allowed to happen on February 24 and one lakh people had gathered at a stadium despite the MHA advisory that crowding should be avoided.

He submitted that experts had advised against a full lockdown and added that due to the lockdown, the GDP came down by an unprecedented 23 per cent, crores of jobs were lost and the economy was destroyed.

The bench said that this is a matter for public debate, not for the court and “We are not inclined to interfere”.

It added that these are matters for the Government to look into it.

The petition alleged that the Centre failed to undertake timely and effective measures for containing transmission of the virus and an independent inquiry by a commission, appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1952, was essential to inquire into the “lapses”.