e-pass: HC seeks details on process adopted

The Madras High Court has sought details on the manner in which a decision is taken to grant e-pass for death and medical emergency cases during COVID-19 lockdown.

A division bench comprising Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana granted time to the government pleader to take instructions from the government and directed him to place before the court the details of the present scheme for dealing with online applications for issuance of e-pass during the lockdown period.

The court also wanted to know whether such powers could be delegated to district level officers so that online applications could be processed 24x7 and e-pass could be issued in emergency cases within an hour.

The bench also directed the government pleader to throw light on the manner of processing such applications, including the basis of dealing them either on ‘first come-first served’ basis.

The petitioner, B Ramkumar Adityan, an advocate, had submitted that the State was processing online applications only during office hours. However, the cases of deaths and emergencies can arise beyond office hours. 

Therefore, the State should provide a mechanism to deal with urgent applications on a priority basis considering the situation on a 24x7 basis, he said.