‘There should be no clampdown on information, people can voice grievances on social media’: Supreme Court on Covid disaster

The Supreme Court on Friday, throughout the suo moto listening to wherein it had taken cognizance on points associated to oxygen provide, drug provide, and vaccine coverage in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic, mentioned there shouldn’t be any clampdown on data.
“We will treat it as contempt of court if such grievances are considered for action. Let a strong message go to all the states and DGP of states that clampdown of info is contrary to basic precepts,” Justice DY Chandrachud mentioned. He added, “We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievance on social media and the internet, it cannot be said it’s wrong information.”

SC: If residents talk grievance on social media, it can’t be mentioned its fallacious information. Don’t need any clampdown of information. will deal with it as contempt of court docket if such grievance is taken into account for motion. let robust msg go to states & DGPs. SG says he absolutely agrees. @IndianExpress
— Ananthakrishnan G (@axidentaljourno) April 30, 2021
The Bench headed by Justice Chandrachud additionally requested the Centre as to why there are two completely different costs for a similar vaccine. “Why do you not follow the pattern of the national immunisation program? Also, will the walk-in facility for vaccination continue after May 1?” the Bench requested.
Raising questions relating to steps taken by the Centre to handle the Covid-19 disaster, the Bench instructed {that a} show mechanism should be put in place for actual time updates on oxygen provide from Centre to the states. “Also, how are Centre and state governments ensuring vaccine registration of illiterate people?” the apex court docket requested.
Covid-19 sufferers being given oxygen help at a gurudwara in New Delhi on Friday. (Express Photo: Tashi Tobgyal)
The apex court docket on April 22 took suo motu cognizance of the “alarming situation” in reference to varied well being emergencies together with oxygen scarcity, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and issued discover to the Centre searching for a response on sorts of fast and efficient motion it could possibly take to deal with such scenario.

The Court, throughout the earlier listening to, requested the Centre to current and apprise it as as to if a nationwide plan will be ready to deal with this worrisome scenario. It made these remarks, after noting and taking into the file no less than six completely different state High Courts, together with the Delhi High Court, have been listening to the matter on the identical points.