Government Should Consider 3-4-Day-Long Lockdown: Gujarat HC

Gujarat HC premises will also remain shut from 10 April to 14 April due to the rising cases of coronavirus.

Gujarat High Court.

(Photo: Gujarat HC Website)

The division bench of the Gujarat High Court, led by the Chief Justice on Tuesday, 6 April, advised the Gujarat government to impose a 3-4-day lockdown or curfew, looking at the rising cases of coronavirus infections in the state. The Gujarat Chief Minister told the media that it will consider the court's advice in the core committee meeting to be held in the evening in Gandhinagar.

Looking at the rising cases of infections in Gujarat, the division bench of Chief Justice Vikramnath and Justice AJ Shastri had summoned the Advocate General (AG), Kamal Trivedi and the Government Pleader (GP) Manisha LuvKumar on Tuesday and advised the government to think about imposing a short lockdown or curfew in Gujarat.

Kamal Trivedi, the AG, expressed that the government had mulled over the issue and decided against it and now after the High Court's observation, it found itself in a catch 22 situation. But the HC suggested that there should be a consideration about a 3-to-4-day lockdown during the weekend and the government should consider whether it could be imposed or not.

“We too heard it on the electronic media and came to know about the High Court’s observation. Our advocate general will brief us about the HC observation and the high-powered core committee on COVID-19 will decide on it later in the evening in Gandhinagar.” 

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

Meanwhile the Gujarat HC on Tuesday decided to shut down the HC premises for a period of four to five days from 10 April to 14 April due to the rising cases of coronavirus. The chief justice thought it necessary to carry out a deep and comprehensive exercise of cleaning and sanitising the entire premises of the High Court, Judicial Academy, auditorium and other offices situated in the high court premises.