Kerala High Court Refuses To Interfere With Karnataka Curbs On Entry From State

There was no blockade on the roads from Kerala to Karnataka and the restrictions were imposed in Karnataka in view of the unprecedented surge in Covid cases in Kerala, the High Court said.

The Kerala High Court today dismissed two pleas challenging the Karnataka government's decision to restrict entry from Kochi at the borders of Kasaragod and Mangalore only to those with a negative RT-PCR report, saying, Karnataka is well within its powers to issue such directions.

The high court said it was an admitted fact there was no blockade on the roads from Kerala to Karnataka and the restrictions, like a negative RT-PCR certificate, were imposed within that state in view of the unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases in Kerala.

"Going by the guidelines issued by the central government, it is clear that under any such circumstances, the states are given the power and responsibility to impose reasonable restrictions, so as to combat the disease.

"Therefore, state of Karnataka was well within its powers to issue circulars, orders or guidelines under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in consonance with various guidelines issued by the central government," a bench of Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly said, dismissing two Public Interest Litigations - one by AKM Ashraf, an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLA and the other by Jayananda KR, Secretary of Rastrakavi Manjeshwara Govinda Pai Smaraka Samithi.