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Will issue e-passes within 30 minutes for interstate travel: Haryana to Delhi HC
PIL disposed of after state gives a slew of undertakings
Following an undertaking given by the Haryana government that e-passes for inter-state movement of all persons engaged in providing essential services, including medical professionals, will be issued within 30 minutes of the receipt of application, the Delhi High Court on Thursday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL). Each e-pass will be valid for the entire duration of the lockdown and can be used for multiple visits, the state government told the HC.
The PIL had sought court directions to stop Haryana government from restricting interstate movement of medical professionals.
“The aforesaid undertakings are taken on record and the Haryana government is held bound by the same. In the event of breach of any of the undertakings, the petitioner shall be at liberty to file appropriate legal proceedings against the officials of the state government in accordance with the law,” said a Delhi HC bench comprising Justice Manmohan and Justice Sanjeev Narula.
Haryana’s additional advocate general Anil Grover gave a slew of undertakings in the court on Thursday.
The undertakings included allowing free movement of trucks carrying essential and non-essential goods between Delhi and Haryana (except in containment zones).
“Trucks transiting through Haryana will also be allowed. The Delhi-Haryana border will be kept open and manned by security personnel. Movement of essential service providers as mentioned in orders issued by the central government, including private doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitation workers, staff of Delhi Police, Delhi Transport Corporation, Delhi Jal Board, municipal corporations, high courts and trial courts among others, will be allowed on production of e-passes. These commuters will not be quarantined unless they test positive for Covid-19 or are found to have come in contact with Covid-19 patient,” Grover said.
The state government had taken a stand that since about 56% of the coronavirus cases in the national capital region (NCR) districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Jhajjar and Sonepat — had Delhi link, it will allow back and forth movement of medical professionals from Delhi only on production of movement passes.
Taking up the PIL, the HC had on May 8 said that orders of the Sonepat district magistrate restraining the movement of doctors, nurses, court officials and trucks from Delhi to Sonepat constituted an infringement of the constitutional provisions.
The ministry of home affairs (MHA) had on May 11 asked the states to ensure that interstate movement of medical professionals, nurses, paramedics was facilitated. The directions came after the issue of restrictions being imposed by some states, including Haryana, was flagged during a meeting between the cabinet secretary and the state governments on Sunday.
“Ensuring unhindered movement of medical professionals is essential for meeting public health requirements and saving human lives,” union home secretary Ajay Bhalla had said to the state governments.
