Ensure food, medical aid to students stranded in Kazakhstan, high court tells MEA

The Delhi high court, in its first hearing conducted through video conferencing — the court has imposed restrictions on its operations since Monday in the wake of

The Delhi high court, in its first hearing conducted through video conferencing — the court has imposed restrictions on its operations since Monday in the wake of the coronavirus spread — on Wednesday directed the ministry of external affairs (MEA) to ensure the welfare and safety of Indian students stranded at Almaty airport in Kazakhstan. The directions came after the court was apprised that students are without food and medical aid over the past two to three days in the central Asian country.

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A bench of justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh asked the MEA to expeditiously provide students with basic amenities and humanitarian assistance on a plea by one Sehla Saira through advocate Fozia Rahman, highlighting the issue. The petitioner also submitted that the number of students stranded at the airport is not known as yet.

While the two judges joined the video conferencing from their homes, advocate Fozia Rahman, who appeared for the petitioner, and central government standing counsel Jasmeet Singh, who represented the MEA, connected from their offices.

The court was informed that several Indian students, who are enrolled for higher studies, including MBBS course, at Semey Medical University in Kazakhstan, are stranded at the Almaty airport without food, water, transportation and medical aid.

“…we find it incumbent upon us to direct the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to promptly appoint a Nodal Officer from the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan to ensure, inter alia, the welfare, well-being and safety of all such Indian students. The Nodal Officer is directed to expeditiously facilitate, secure and provide the said students with all basic amenities and including humanitarian assistance, in terms of, medical care, boarding (food), lodging and transportation, as may be necessary or warranted,” the bench said.

The court also said the details of the nodal officer, including his name and telephone number, must be communicated to the stranded students and also uploaded on the website of the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan and on the website of the MEA immediately.

Central government standing counsel Jasmeet Singh accepted the notice and sought time from the court to file a reply after which the court posted the matter to March 27.

On Monday, the Delhi high court, along with the district courts, had suspended work and imposed restrictions on its operations till April 3, which was on Wednesday extended till April 15. Till that date, all urgent matters will be heard via video conferencing.

The high court also said that all interim orders passed by it and other subordinate courts, which were subsisting as on March 16, stand automatically extended till May 15, 2020, or until further orders.