PIL to declare lockdown illegal

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.06.2020

A city resident has moved the Madras high court seeking to declare lockdown announced by the central and the state governments to contain Covid-19 outbreak as illegal. M Immanvuel of Kovilambakkam argued that the lockdown had no legal sanction and the government did not have power to implement such lockdowns either under the Epidemics Act or the Disaster Management Act.

Recording the submission, a division bench of Justice R Subbiah and Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy ordered notice to the state government and said it would pass orders on June 17.

The petitioner wanted the court to direct the government to lift the lockdown immediately as it restricts basic movement of people. “Restrictions on the movement of people like curfew are no way relatable in containing the spread of Covid-19 as long as social distancing and wearing a mask is adhered. These restrictions have only affected the livelihood of 93% total workforce of the country,” he said.

Though the restrictions have been liberalised, there are many unreasonable restrictions which are in total violation of the fundamental rights, he added.