Parliament, Executive and Judicary need to act in amicability during emergency- CJI S.A. Bodbe

With the Supreme Court hearing various PILs on the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent government reaction, CJI Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, in a discussion with journalists, yielded that calamities and pandemics of this scale are best left to the official.

CJI Bobde said that in the midst of such grave crisis, it was imperative to have all organs of the state – parliament, Executive, and Judicary– to act in amicability. He explained that it was the official’s privilege to choose how – men, Money, materials – were deployed, distributed and organized.

Justice Bobde assured that the executive, without a doubt, ought not endanger lives of citizens. He cautioned, that if the executive puts to risk, life and liberty, the courts would intervene.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to clarify certain steps being taken during the lockdown especially those that were red-flagged by certain sections. He noted that the SC had issued necessary directions to ensure that the Centre provides shelter, food and psychological counselling to those affected. He assured that the SC was doing everything it could during the crisis.

On the issues of mechanical devices empowering hearing during the lockdown, he remarked that apparatuses, for example, video-conferencing will carry on past the lockdown. In conclusion he noticed that while such innovation is probably going to be grasped, it despite everything can’t substitute the requirement for physical courts.