SC terms as 'wholly uncalled for' relaxations granted by Kerala govt for Bakrid

The Supreme Court on Tuesday termed as "wholly uncalled for" the relaxations granted by the Kerala government for the Bakrid festival in areas having the highest COVID-19 positivity rate and warned that it will take action if the easing of curbs leads to further spread of the virus.

The apex court pulled up the state government for giving in to traders' pressure by granting relaxations ahead of Bakrid and said it disclosed a "sorry state of affairs".

A bench of justices R F Nariman and B R Gavai said that the citizenary of India has been laid bare to the nationwide pandemic by grant of such relaxations by the Kerala government.

"We direct the Kerala government to give heed to the Right to Life enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution," the bench said.

The bench was hearing an application which raised the issue of relaxations granted by the Kerala government in view of the Bakrid festival.

It was filed in a matter in which the apex court had last week taken suo motu cognisance of earlier media reports on the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to allow Kanwar Yatra amid the pandemic.