Supreme Court to hear U.P. govt’s plea against HC order directing it to impose strict restrictions in five cities

Allahabad HC had directed the Uttar Pradesh govt to impose strict restrictions till April 26 in five cities — Allahabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur , but stopped short of calling it a “complete lockdown

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on April 20 itself the plea of the Uttar Pradesh government against the Allahabad High Court order directing it to impose strict restrictions till April 26 in five cities amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde. Mr. Mehta, while referring to the High Court’s order passed on April 19, said that “a virtual lockdown is declared by a judicial order for a week”.