A Member of parliament from Kozhikode, Kerala, MK Raghavan, has moved the Supreme Court seeking evacuation of Indians stranded in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations..The MP has sought for a direction that the Union Governemnt to set up a specialised team to identify the Indian citizens who are stranded in the GCC nations and who need to be evacuated. The petitioner further seeks for such evacuation to be carried out at the expense of the Centre for those persons who cannot afford their travel back to India..The petitioner MP has further urged the Supreme Court to direct the Centre to lift the ban imposed on international flights. The Centre, as a policy decision, had imposed a blanket ban on all commercial inward carriers starting March 23 and the same was extended till April 14, after the nation-wide lockdown was announced. The decision was taken as a measure to contain spread of COVID-19 contagion amid a global pandemic..The ban on international flights should be lifted to the limited extent of granting "specific approval of special flights" for bringing back stranded Indian citizens "through commercial flight or through a chartered flight that may be arranged by some operators", the petitioner MP prays in his petition..In addition to their evacuation, the plea also prays for medical teams to be deputed to ensure that medical care and assistance is provided to those Indian citizens infected by the novel corona virus "with due regard to the laws and regulations of such nations" and that those citizens not stranded are quarantined in conformity with the WHO guidelines. .The petitioner elucidates that on account of being an MP, he has received many distress messages from various Indian persons stranded in GCC countries. On contacting various commercial airlines, Raghavan says he was assured that the airlines are willing and desirous of helping in bringing the Indian citizens back to India. However, the exercise was rendered futile after the Indian airspace was shut down..Indians continue to be stranded despite several gracious offers being made by airline operators to assist their return from the GCC Nations.MK Raghavan's petition says.Having approached the Ministries of Civil Aviation as well as the External Affairs, and Shipping, the petitioner did not receive a positive response on the repatriation of Indian citizens, leading him to approach the Supreme Court given that time is of essence amid the global health crisis..Therefore, while praying for the evacuation and repatriation of stranded Indian citizens from GCC nations, the petitioner also makes recommendations for measures to be taken upon the return of such persons to ensure containment of the possible spread of the virus from these travellers..The petition is filed through Advocates A Karthik and Sarveshwar K..Earlier a similar plea for evacuation of Indian migrant workers in Gulf countries was filed by a migrant welfare society. A separate petition for evacuation of vulnerable Indian citizens from the USA which has emerged as the new hotspot of the contagion has also been filed in the Supreme Court by Senior Advocate Vibha Datta Makhija. .Earlier this week, on April 7. the Apex Court had issued notice to the Cenyre on a plea filed by a practising Advocate, Madhurima Mridul, seeking repatriation of stranded Indian students from the United Kingdom..[COVID-19 Lockdown] Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on plea to evacuate Indian students stranded in the UK.The Supreme Court had, prior to that, disposed of a plea for evacuation and repatriation of stranded Indian pilgrims from the Iranian city of Qom taking, recording the Centre's assurance that most of the pilgrims were brought back and those who remained to be in Iran were either infected or were relatives of those infected persons who chose to stay back. The Centre had also assured the Court that Indian citizens in Iran were being attended to and provided medical care and facility which led to the Court disposing of the matter..[Coronavirus] Centre assures Supreme Court of the safety of Indian citizens stranded in Qom, SC disposes of plea for evacuation.Earlier today, the Kerala High Court also asked for a status report from the Centre on the steps taken to address the concerns of Indian citizens stranded in the UAE by April 17. .Inter alia, the High Court has directed that the report include whether the Central Government has made any policy decision in the matter, and whether any medical advisories were considered in deciding on the same.
A Member of parliament from Kozhikode, Kerala, MK Raghavan, has moved the Supreme Court seeking evacuation of Indians stranded in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations..The MP has sought for a direction that the Union Governemnt to set up a specialised team to identify the Indian citizens who are stranded in the GCC nations and who need to be evacuated. The petitioner further seeks for such evacuation to be carried out at the expense of the Centre for those persons who cannot afford their travel back to India..The petitioner MP has further urged the Supreme Court to direct the Centre to lift the ban imposed on international flights. The Centre, as a policy decision, had imposed a blanket ban on all commercial inward carriers starting March 23 and the same was extended till April 14, after the nation-wide lockdown was announced. The decision was taken as a measure to contain spread of COVID-19 contagion amid a global pandemic..The ban on international flights should be lifted to the limited extent of granting "specific approval of special flights" for bringing back stranded Indian citizens "through commercial flight or through a chartered flight that may be arranged by some operators", the petitioner MP prays in his petition..In addition to their evacuation, the plea also prays for medical teams to be deputed to ensure that medical care and assistance is provided to those Indian citizens infected by the novel corona virus "with due regard to the laws and regulations of such nations" and that those citizens not stranded are quarantined in conformity with the WHO guidelines. .The petitioner elucidates that on account of being an MP, he has received many distress messages from various Indian persons stranded in GCC countries. On contacting various commercial airlines, Raghavan says he was assured that the airlines are willing and desirous of helping in bringing the Indian citizens back to India. However, the exercise was rendered futile after the Indian airspace was shut down..Indians continue to be stranded despite several gracious offers being made by airline operators to assist their return from the GCC Nations.MK Raghavan's petition says.Having approached the Ministries of Civil Aviation as well as the External Affairs, and Shipping, the petitioner did not receive a positive response on the repatriation of Indian citizens, leading him to approach the Supreme Court given that time is of essence amid the global health crisis..Therefore, while praying for the evacuation and repatriation of stranded Indian citizens from GCC nations, the petitioner also makes recommendations for measures to be taken upon the return of such persons to ensure containment of the possible spread of the virus from these travellers..The petition is filed through Advocates A Karthik and Sarveshwar K..Earlier a similar plea for evacuation of Indian migrant workers in Gulf countries was filed by a migrant welfare society. A separate petition for evacuation of vulnerable Indian citizens from the USA which has emerged as the new hotspot of the contagion has also been filed in the Supreme Court by Senior Advocate Vibha Datta Makhija. .Earlier this week, on April 7. the Apex Court had issued notice to the Cenyre on a plea filed by a practising Advocate, Madhurima Mridul, seeking repatriation of stranded Indian students from the United Kingdom..[COVID-19 Lockdown] Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on plea to evacuate Indian students stranded in the UK.The Supreme Court had, prior to that, disposed of a plea for evacuation and repatriation of stranded Indian pilgrims from the Iranian city of Qom taking, recording the Centre's assurance that most of the pilgrims were brought back and those who remained to be in Iran were either infected or were relatives of those infected persons who chose to stay back. The Centre had also assured the Court that Indian citizens in Iran were being attended to and provided medical care and facility which led to the Court disposing of the matter..[Coronavirus] Centre assures Supreme Court of the safety of Indian citizens stranded in Qom, SC disposes of plea for evacuation.Earlier today, the Kerala High Court also asked for a status report from the Centre on the steps taken to address the concerns of Indian citizens stranded in the UAE by April 17. .Inter alia, the High Court has directed that the report include whether the Central Government has made any policy decision in the matter, and whether any medical advisories were considered in deciding on the same.
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