"We cannot demoralise High Courts:" Supreme Court rejects request by SG Tushar Mehta to have only Chief Justice led benches hear COVID-19 pleas

A vacation bench of the Supreme Court on Friday refused to accept a prayer from Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta to have only benches led by Chief Justices of High Courts hear COVID-19 related cases..A Bench of Justices Vineet Saran and BR Gavai stated that "it cannot pass sweeping orders" and "demoralise the High Courts.".Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta on Friday asked the Supreme Court to issue directions to all High Courts to list all COVID related cases pending in High Courts before the Bench of Chief Justice of the concerned High Court..[BREAKING] SG Tushar Mehta asks Supreme Court to pass directions to all High Courts to list all COVID related cases before Chief Justice Benches .Mehta was appearing for Uttar Pradesh government in a challenge to an order passed by Allahabad High Court Bench of Justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar in relation to COVID crisis in UP.This Bench had been highly critical of the State's handling of COVID crisis in the State stating that the medical system in rural UP was 'Ram Bharose' (in the hands of God).It had also been passing directions asking UP government to look into various aspects related to COVID management."In Allahabad High Court, there are other PILs which is listed before other benches in which notice has been issued. Similar cases in other high courts too. But let such matters be placed before only Chief Justice led benches," the SG told the Supreme Court on Friday..However, Justice Saran told the SG that the bench was "only hearing the appeal against Allahabad High Court order," and not of other courts. .[BREAKING] High Courts should consider possibility of execution of directions: Supreme Court stays Allahabad High Court order on COVID-19 issues."We cannot demoralise the High Courts. We have balanced our order. We will not pass sweeping orders. We are only passing orders on your High Court," said the bench. .The top court further noted that only Chief Justice of the High Court has the power to constitute benches and thus, it would not interfere with the same. .However, Supreme Court stayed the May 17 directions issued by the Allahabad High Court relating to COVID-19 management in Uttar Pradesh on the ground that they were impossible to implement..While staying the High Court order, the Bench observed,"We are of the opinion that High Courts should normally consider the possibility of execution of their directions. Of such directions cannot be implemented, then such orders may not be passed. The doctrine of impossibility is equally applicable to courts.".Read a detailed account of the exhange between Court and SG Tushar Mehta here. .[Read Order]