We have not made any request for 5-star COVID facility, all we want is hospitalisation: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied that it had requested allotment of five-star COVID care facilities for its judges and staff. .A Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli, said this after media reports were published on Monday about the Delhi government's decision to allocate 100 rooms at The Ashoka Hotel in Chanakyapuri as a COVID-19 health facility for High Court judges and their families..An order directing the same had been issued by the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Chanakyapuri, Geeta Grover on April 25 which said that a request had been received to this effect from the High Court. ."...do hereby require the 100 rooms of Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi for setting up of Covid Health facility for the use of Hon'ble Justices and other judicial officers of Delhi High Court and their families and place at the disposal of Primus Hospital, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi with immediate effect," the order of SDM said. .However, the High Court while hearing of the case on oxygen shortage and allied issues arising out of the COVID-19 crisis on Tuesday, said that the order issued by the SDM was misleading. "This is very misleading. High Court has not made any request in this regard.".Stating that it would take suo motu cognizance of the issue, the Court went on to clarify that all it had asked for was to ensure facility for hospitalisation. "All that we wanted was in case they need hospitalisation, that facility should be given. It has translated into this order...What is the projection? That...it is to benefit ourselves or that you have done to appease us?".Appearing for the Delhi government, Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra said that the media was playing a mischievous role in reporting the development. In response, the Court said,"Can we as an institution say that you create a facility for us...such and such beds for us. Would it not be patently discriminatory? Media is not wrong...order is wrong," the Court emphasised. .It's unthinkable...we as an institution would take preference when people are dying on the road?Delhi High Court.The Court also said that the purpose of the meeting with the government official was to have some facility for the judiciary especially the subordinate judicial officers who were constrained to hold physical courts. ."We've already lost to two judicial officers.", the Court stated. .It further remarked, "You are passing orders left, right and centre without meaning to do anything about it.. we have not even asked for it. That hospital has no manpower, no equipment, no ventilator, no medicines..".Ultimately, Advocate Santosh Tripathi, also appearing for the Delhi government, said that the order in question would be withdrawn..In a press release issued by the High Court, it is informed that in the last one month, besides few Judges of the Court, 93 Judicial officers of the District Courts also got infected. ."When this Court started receiving distress calls, day in and day out, from all these frontline workers, crying for quick procurement of prescribed medicines and admission in hospitals for them and their family members, several meetings were held with representatives of GNCTD. Eventually, one small set up, for taking care of staff officials having mild and moderate infection, has been made operational today itself in the premises of Delhi Judicial Academy. Being alive to the current situation and the limited available resources, the government was conveyed to create a suitable mechanism for redressal of said issues. There was never any demand or request for reserving any Hotel for anyone, much less a five-star facility.", the High Court has said..Read the suo motu cognizance order:.Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.