Coronavirus: Delhi HC directs Centre to appoint a Nodal Officer for Indian students stranded at Almaty Airport, Kazakhstan

Delhi High Court today directed Centre to appoint a Nodal Officer from Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan to ensure the well-being of Indian students stranded at Almaty Airport, Kazakhstan due to the travel ban in view in the Coronavirus outbreak. (Shehla Saira & Ors vs UOI).Taking into considertaion the "unsettled and difficult situation emerging from the global COVID-19 pandemic", a Division Bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh ordered,...we find it incumbent upon us to direct the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to promptly appoint a Nodal Officer from the Indian Embassyin Kazhakhstan to ensure, inter alia, the welfare, well-being and safety of all such Indian students."Delhi High Court.The Court has directed the Nodal Officer to expeditiously facilitate, secure and provide the stranded students with all the basic amenities and humanitarian assistance in terms of medical care, food, lodging and transportation, as necessary or warranted..The name of the Nodal Officer so appointed, including his name and telephone number, shall be communicated to the Indian students stranded at the Almaty Airport and shall also be uploaded on the website of the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan, as well as, on the Ministry of External Affairs website immediately. .The order was passed in a writ petition which was taken up by the Court through video-conferencing. .The Petition drew the Court's attention to the fact that a sizeable number of Indian students, who were pursuing higher studies in Kazakhstan, were stranded at the Almaty Airport without food, water, transportation, medical aid. .The Petitioner asserted that the students were living under such conditions for the last 2-3 days. .In view of the above, the Court ordered for the appointment of a Nodal Officer and also sought Centre's response in the Petition. .The Petitioner was represented by Advocate Fozia Rehman. .Centre was represented by Standing Counsel Jasmeet Singh.. The matter would be heard next on March 28..Read the Order:.This image is provided by On Caveat, a free daily newsletter which gives short summaries of Supreme Court judgments on a daily basis, straight to your inbox. To subscribe to the daily email, simply click on this link - https://mailchi.mp/f0caff461bf3/oncaveat