[BREAKING] Plea filed in Supreme Court against relaxation of lockdown restrictions by Kerala for Bakrid

A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court against the decision of the Kerala government to relax COVID lockdown restrictions in the State for three days in view of Bakrid. .Senior Advocate Vikas Singh will be arguing for the intervenor today..The plea by one PKD Nambiar, a Delhi resident, was filed as an intervention application in the suo motu case already initiated by the Supreme Court regarding the holding of Kanwar Yatra by Uttar Pradesh. Nambiar submitted that Kerala has been showing alarming numbers in COVID cases though other States have improved their situation. "To the utter dismay of India's citizens, Kerala government announced a 3-days relaxation of lockdown restrictions on July 18, 19 and 20 keeping in view the upcoming Bakrid festival," the plea filed through advocate Preeti Singh said..Nambiar added that the decision to allow the relaxations was based on political and communal tensions."It is surprising to note that the State of Kerala has continued to throw up alarming numbers even while most other States have improved their situation…the news reports about Kerala government’s move to relax lockdown norms say the decision followed discussions between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and leaders of the traders body ‘Kerala Vyapari Vyavasaayi E-kopana Saminit’ (KVVES). What this goes to show is the decision was not the outcome of any medical advice, but political and communal considerations", the plea stated. .It is shocking that in a medical emergency, the government is playing with the lives of citizens through such measures, the applicant added. .The plea pointed out how the top court had taken a strict view against holding Kanwar Yatra citing right to health of citizens. It is argued that the Kerala government's move violates the Supreme Court’s July 16 order in the matter, which had specifically emphasised that the health of the citizenry of India and their right to life is paramount and that all other sentiments are subservient. .The petitioner, therefore, sought a similar intervention as regards the decision of the Kerala government to relax lockdown restrictions for three days.