The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the AAP government to treat as representation a plea seeking direction for capping or fixing rates to be charged by private hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients.
The High Court also disposed of a batch of petitions challenging the Delhi government’s June 7 order directing all its hospitals and private hospitals and nursing homes here to admit only bona fide residents of the Capital for treatment.
The court made the decision after it was informed by the counsel for Delhi government that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has overruled the decision of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan also asked the Delhi government to treat as representation another petition by a two-year-old boy highlighting the considerable risk faced by him and many other minors due to the Delhi government’s decision to lift the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The child, in his plea, said he resides in a joint family comprising working members, who would be resuming work/ regular office pursuant to the unlockdown as announced by the Delhi government with effect from June 8, and he is at considerable risk of contacting COVID-19 through these members due to lifting of restriction on movements.
In another case, the Bench asked the Delhi government to also treat as representation a plea alleging that its June 7 direction to hospitals, under it as well as private ones, to treat only “bona fide” Delhi residents discriminates against the homeless and mentally ill.
The direction came on the petition by a lawyer who had claimed that the Delhi government order does not consider the plight of the mentally ill and homeless who may not have valid identity cards or address proof like Aadhaar to show they are residents of the Capital.