Centre, Delhi, UP, Haryana officials to hold meeting to consider common portal/pass to facilitate interstate commute in NCR, Supreme Court

The Supreme Court today said that the concerned officials from Centre along with those of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana must convene a meeting and evolve a common portal/pass system to enable interstate movement in the NCR region within a week. [Rohit Bhalla vs UOI (NCR inter-state movement)].The three-Judge Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, and MR Shah also directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to take instructions on the issue of difficulties faced by the people of NCR region owing to restrictions in inter-State movement..Justice Bhushan, heading the Bench, said that there has been a recommendation, which suggests that a common pass for the entire NCR region should be recognized in all the States involved. On this, SG Mehta is asked to take instructions while State officials directed to hold a meeting. .The meeting must be convened within a week's time to consider this common portal or pass to be recognized by the States of Delhi, UP, and Haryana..The Government of India shall convene a meeting of concerned State officials / U.Ts and endeavour to find out a common programme, common portal for easing the inter-State movement on all State borders in the National Capital Region.Supreme Court.On May 26, the Apex Court had asked the Government of India to respond to a petition challenging the restriction on movement for permissible activities in the NCR due to sealing of borders in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic..Supreme Court asks Centre to reply on plea seeking to lift border restrictions in NCR.The plea, filed by Gurugram resident Rohit Bhalla and argued by Senior Advocate Mukul Talwar, had referred to the April 29 order of district administrations in Haryana, which is applicable to Gurugram and Sonepat, and May 3 public statement by the district administrations of Uttar Pardesh about Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad..This petition alleges that these measures are in violation of the MHA's May 1 guidelines which allow movement for permissible activities and has been adopted by these states..The Petition has sought to declare as illegal such measures, which restricts movement in the NCR..Residents of NCR who have family members or loved ones residing on either side of the inter-state border within the NCR are facing harassment in crossing the said inter-state borders in cases of medical emergency, access to hospitals/healthcare professionals and essential needs. There is no manner of expediting a pass for medical emergencies.Plea states.In the previous hearing, Court noted that the States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana had filed their responses and took the same on record. A response was thus sought from the Centre and the government of NCT Delhi..The petitioner was represented by Senior Counsel Mukul Talwar and Cenre was represented by ASG K.M. Natraj. State of Uttar Pradesh was represented by Advocate Garima Prashad while AAG Anil Grover appeared for the State of Haryana..Read Order: