Do you want people to become sitting ducks? asks HC

Curbs on numbers at pubs and bars

Describing the affidavit filed by State government in COVID-19 related PIL petitions as “wishy and washy and disappointing”, Telangana High Court on Monday asked if it was contending for the post of COVID-19 positive topper in the country. “We are very unhappy with your affidavit as it does not contain any of the details like measures to check footfall in cinema halls and other public gathering places,” a bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy said. Expressing dissatisfaction with Advocate General B.S. Prasad’s reply that the State government geared up to tackle the situation, the bench passed over the matter to hear the pleas after lunch break. When the AG said the government was following the Centre’s guidelines on COVID-19, the CJ corrected him stating that Centre had said the States can formulate their own instructions on the issue. “What are you going to make of the people of the State….sitting ducks..?” the CJ remarked.