'Situation Not Anticipated 6 Months Back' : SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Inquiry Into Centre's Alleged Mismanagement Of COVID 19

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea filed by six retired bureaucrats seeking an independent inquiry by a Commission appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, into the Central Government's alleged "gross mismanagement" of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Filed by retired bureaucrats KP Fabian, MG Devasahayam, Meena Gupta, Somasundar Burra, Amit Bhaduri, and Madhu Bhaduri, the plea conveyed that the Petitioners had "come together to file the present petition owing to the anxiety and concern over the Respondent's mismanagement and misgovernance of the COVID-19 pandemic and the deleterious impact it has had on the fundamental rights of Indian citizens". The plea went on to state that the inquiry is essential as multiple lapses have been committed on behalf of the Respondent such as their failure to "undertake timely and effective measures for containing the transmission of the disease within India" despite being notified about the same by WHO in January, 2020, and their failure to adhere to its "statutory obligations under the Disaster Management Act, 2005", including drawing up a National Plan under Section 11 or issuing guidelines for providing minimum standards of relief to vulnerable sections of society under Section 12. The plea also noted the compromise to the right to life of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and other medical staff, as the Respondent has exhibited "inexplicable delay in scaling up the procurement of PPEs".