Nobody To Enter Goa Without Negative COVID-19 Report: Bombay High Court

The court slammed the administration for not implementing its earlier interim order fully and instead carving out an exception for local residents.

The Bombay High Court's Goa bench on Tuesday ordered that no person will be allowed to enter the coastal state without a negative COVID-19 test report, except in cases of medical emergency. The court slammed the administration for not implementing its earlier interim order fully and instead carving out an exception for local residents. Following the court's May 6 directive, administration of North Goa and South Goa districts issued orders last week making it mandatory for visitors to carry negative COVID-19 test reports while arriving. But a bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Mahesh Sonak, hearing a PIL on coronavirus situation, pointed out that the order applied to every person arriving in Goa, whether a visitor or local resident. Despite the unambiguous order, the two District Magistrates carved out exceptions in favor of local residents, those entering Goa for work and those carrying vaccination certificates, the judges noted.