GUWAHATI, Dec 3 - The Supreme Court has asked the Assam government to file an affidavit detailing about the plan of action in view of maintaining COVID-19 protocol during the ensuing state legislative elections scheduled in April next year.
The apex court expresses its dissatisfaction over violation of COVID norms in all the states while observing that gross violation of COVID-19 protocol is evident in different states and that no one is seen wearing facemasks or maintaining social distancing.
Both the state government and the central government have been asked to give their suggestions by Monday on strict implementation of precautionary measures.
Advocate Pawanshree Agrawal appearing for interveners Kaushik Choudhury and Palash Talukdar submitted before the Court that in Assam, there is a gross violation of COVID-19 protocol during the election campaign with people gathering in thousands without any social distancing and very few are seen wearing facemasks after which the Court directed the Assam government to file an affidavit stating its plan to control such mass gathering by next Monday.
The apex court also asked the interveners to put forward their suggestions.
Agrawal also argued on the point of capping the fees of private hospitals in Assam to which the Court has asked the state government to file the guidelines in this regard if any is there to cap the fees. The next date of hearing is on December 9.
The state government had earlier filed a status report before the Supreme Court vis-a-vis medical care given to COVID-19 patients and the manner of treating bodies.
In the status report, the state government submitted that it has been managing the pandemic well and that zoning of districts has been done so that if any specific COVID-19 case demands specialised treatment, then the patient is immediately referred to the identified medical college and hospital.
