HC: Inaction against politicians, actors on Covid norm violation sends wrong signal

BENGALURU: The State government has not been acting against prominent politicians and actors for violating Covid norms, and this would send a wrong signal to society, the Karnataka High Court observed on Friday.A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi, hearing a batch of Covid-related PILs, directed the State government, its agencies and local bodies to take violations seriously, irrespective of the status of the people involved. The government’s reports on complaints against prominent people are far from satisfactory, and it should file better reports by October 3, it said. 

The report submitted by the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner on the visit of MP Shobha Karandlaje to Chamundi Temple and actor Darshan to Tripura Sundari Temple is not satisfactory, as it refers to an unknown protocol that permits dignitaries to offer puja, it said. A report by the Sadashivanagar police on the alleged violation during the engagement of KPCC chief D K Shivakumar’s daughter suggests that there was no inquiry, rather it is the opinion of a head constable who depended on unknown sources, the bench said.  

There was also no inquiry into breach of norms during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Kempegowda statue, the bench said, and asked the government to submit the latest report on the action taken on complaints against violations after actor Chiranjeevi Sarja’s death. “The State government will have to issue directions to all authorities to proceed in an effective manner against those who violate norms on wearing masks and maintaining distance when the number of Covid positive cases is touching 10,000 per day in the State and over 3,900 in Bengaluru Urban district,” the bench said.

‘Pull down pvt sponsor ads’ 
The State government has misused the court’s order on putting up Covid awareness hoardings and all banners sponsored by private entities that were put up by the health department should be removed, the high court said. A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Mayigegowda, and directed the government to file a compliance report by September 24. It directed the government not to act on the letter written by the health department  and to instruct the agency appointed on seeking permission for the display of sponsored ads and not to take any decision.