Implement SC order, give Covid test reports directly to patients: HC

The Bombay high court (HC) on Saturday directed the state and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to implement the Supreme Court (SC) order to hand over Covid-positive

The Bombay high court (HC) on Saturday directed the state and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to implement the Supreme Court (SC) order to hand over Covid-positive reports directly to patients. The court, while hearing the plea filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Vinod Mishra from Malad, was informed by BMC that the petition was not maintainable and should have been a public interest litigation (PIL).

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The court, however, said that in light of the Apex Court order, it would not interfere, and issued the said directions.

The division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and justice Nitin Borkar, while hearing the petition filed by Mishra, challenging a circular issued by BMC on June 13 regarding the revised test reports rule, was informed by advocates Amogh Singh and Jeet Gandhi that SC on Friday had directed the state government to give the reports directly to the patients.

In light of their grievance being addressed, they sought the petition to be disposed of.

Senior counsel for the BMC, however, challenged the maintainability of the petition, stating that the issue was of general public well-being and should have been filed as a PIL. He further submitted a reply by BMC authorities that was not accepted by the bench as it was not an affirmed copy.

In light of the above and the fact that the Apex Court had already issued an order, the high court directed the state and civic authorities to implement the Supreme Court order and disposed of the petition.