The Supreme Court stayed the Allahabad High Court judgment which directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to impose lockdown in five cities of Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and Gorakhpur till April 26 in view of the COVID19 pandemic.
The Solicitor General had made an urgent mention of the petition before the CJI today morning and requested for hearing of the matter today itself. Agreeing with this request, the CJI-led bench heard the SG after the listed matters were over.
The Supreme Court has posted the matter after two weeks. It has sought a report from the UP Government on the steps taken by it in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Court also appointed Senior Advocate PS Narasimha as an amicus curiae to assist it in the matter.