Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 24: The state high court (HC) has directed the government to form a team of officials towards effective implementation of rules relating to regulating infectious diseases including wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing in the city.

A division bench of the HC headed by Chief Justice A S Oka, which heard several public interest litigation seeking directions to Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and the state government to strictly implement COVID guidelines, asked the government to form a team of officials before November 28 and pass an order accordingly.

The HC prescribed that the team should have officials from different departments in sufficient numbers. These officials should be given the sole responsibility of implementation of Covid guidelines scrupulously, particularly wearing of masks. The team should be given the responsibility of taking steps against people who do not wear masks and do not maintain distance. The officials of the team should supervise all the areas of the city, the HC stated.

Permission with condition

When giving permissions as per section 31 (1) (O) of Karnataka Police Act, Public Meetings and Processions Permission And Regulation (Bengaluru City) Act 2008, when permitting processions or rallies, the participants should mandatorily wear masks and social distance should be maintained, by including these conditions additionally. There should be enough police staff to check whether the rally conditions are being followed, the bench said.

Tejasvi Surya

The high court gave a final opportunity to the government to file a report on the steps taken for violating COVID guidelines during the bike rally from the airport to BJP office at Malleshwaram on the occasion of Tejasvi Surya having been appointed as the national president of BJP Yuva Morcha. It sought filing of compliance report of all the orders before November 4 before adjourning the same.