Plea in Delhi HC seeking waiver of unused phone, internet bills during COVID-19 lockdown withdrawn

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New Delhi: A day after a filing a petition in the Dlehi High Court pleading that telephone and or internet bills “compulsorily not used” amid the coroanvirus COVID-19 lockdown should be either wavied off or amount be deposited in the PM-Cares Fund, the petitioner has withdrawn his plea on Fridy (May 1, 2020).

During the course of arguments, it was found that the Supreme Court had already dealt with a similar plea and the high court is not inclined to entertain the same. In view of this “the petition was not pressed and the same was withdrawn.”

Delhi based lawyer SK Sharma had filed the public interest litigation through advocate Amit Sahni pleading the Delhi High Court seeking to issue directions to all telephone operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) not to charge any amount for offices/shops/business houses/factories etc that remained “compulsorily closed” due to ‘lockdown’. The plea said that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone particularly those who are not working in organized sector and have no financial back up.

"The shops/offices/business houses/factories and almost all commercial establishment remained closed in order to abide by the orders of the government in order to maintain social distancing during the period of lockdown," it said. 

The PIL had further sought directions that the amount so charged/received by such telephone operators/ Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for “unused period of lockdown” may instead be directed to be deposited to the coronavirus relief fund initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.