On whose opinion was lockdown relaxed: Calcutta HC asks Centre, WB govt to file affidavit

Calcutta High Court on Friday asked the Centre and West Bengal governments to file an affidavit, detailing whose opinion was taken into consideration while relaxing the guidelines for the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Thottathil B Radhakrishnan asked the Centre and West Bengal governments to file their affidavit by June 11.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by advocate ndya Sundar Das seeking directions to the respondents to take necessary steps so that the markets, offices and other establishments in West Bengal function under the surveillance of police authorities.

The plea said that by relaxing the lockdown restrictions, the government has put the lives of a large number of people at stake, adding that proper surveillances have not been made in the various districts of the West Bengal.

It further sought directions to take necessary steps to keep migrant labourers, who have returned to West Bengal, under the strict surveillance of the law enforcement agencies. It claimed that the return of migrants has led to a surge in the number of coronavirus cases.

"When the lockdown was announced as on March 25, 2020, India was having 618 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and death toll stood at 13, and now India has now become 7th most affected country in the world and at this juncture, the government is intending to unlock various of its establishments and private as well," the plea said.

It said that the West Bengal government has failed to implement the lockdown as a result of which people have not been following the norms of social distancing in various markets.

( With inputs from ANI )