UP to SC: Difficult to allow movement at Delhi border

The court was hearing a petition by Rohit Bhalla, a Gurgaon-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, challenging what he claimed was the unconstitutionality of the decisions of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the Delhi administrations to restrict movement of individuals for permissible activities and the necessity of applying for passes for each of these states on various state government portals.

On the last date of hearing, the SC had asked the three governments to hold a meeting with the Centre to evolve a common plan regarding allowing movement of individuals in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said the Union Home Secretary had convened a meeting between Haryana, Delhi and UP. Haryana and Delhi have agreed and now there is no interstate barrier, he informed the court, adding that UP had reservations.

The bench, meanwhile, took exception to the Noida District Magistrate’s decision to insist on institutional quarantine for all. “If a person is asymptomatic, are you still putting them in institutional quarantine? Or do you give them home quarantine?” the court asked.

“We are following national guidelines,” replied UP.

The bench then told the counsel, “Please check and tell us complete information. There should not be conflict. Numbers are going up. If you do institutional quarantine for asymptomatic persons in Noida/Ghaziabad and others are not doing it, it may lead to chaos 15 days down the line. There cannot be a guideline contrary to the national guidelines.”

The court said it will pronounce its order in the matter next week.