Supreme Court warns against clamp down on dissemination of information on COVID-19, says `We will treat it as contempt of court`

Hearing the suo motu case on Covid management across the country, the Supreme Court on Friday said that if citizens are voicing concerns and grievances on social media, there cannot be any clampdown on them.

New Delhi: Hearing the suo motu case on Covid management across the country, the Supreme Court on Friday (April 30) said that if citizens are voicing concerns and grievances on social media, there cannot be any clampdown on them. The division bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud, Nageswara Rao, and S Ravindra Bhat Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance on issues related to an oxygen supply, drug supply, and various other policies in relation to the #COVID19 pandemic.

Justices DY Chandrachud is quoted by ANI as saying, "Why can't the Centre follow national immunization program policy with respect to COVID vaccines." He said that a "national immunization policy" must be followed, asking Cente why it is not buying 100% of COVID-19 vaccine doses as it is in the best place to determine equity, and disburse."

"We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievance on social media, then it cannot be said it's wrong information. We don't want any clampdown of information. We will treat it as a contempt of court if such grievances are considered for action," the bench is quoted as saying.

Justice Chandrachud said, "We'll also hear citizens crying for oxygen cylinders. The ground situation in Delhi is, oxygen isn't really available and it's the same in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Govt has to tell us what difference will be there from today and the next day of the hearing."

Observing that even frontline doctors and healthcare workers were not getting beds for treatment, the bench said the healthcare infrastructure inherited over past 70 years was not sufficient and the situation was grim. It said that hostels, temples, churches and other places be opened for converting them as COVID-19 care centres.

It further asked, "What happens to the marginalised and SC/ST population? Should they be left to the mercy of private hospitals," The apex court said the healthcare sector has come to a breakpoint and retired doctors or officials could be re-employed in this crisis.

n its last hearing on April 27, the bench had asked the state governments to file a report on their health infrastructure and did not restrain the High Courts from passing any order on Covid.

The Apex Court asked the state governments to file their responses by Thursday with regard to their health infrastructure and said that the High Courts are not restrained from passing any directions as they are hearing the cases in their respective states and they know the ground situation better.

The bench had also asked the Centre to explain the basis and rationale behind the pricing of anti-Covid vaccines and other necessary items. It had also fixed the matter for hearing on their responses and said that the Supreme Court is here to complement the High Courts.

(With Agency Inputs)