Rs 50,000 fine for seeking withdrawal of lockdown

Chennai

A division bench, comprising Justice R Subbaiah and Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy, which dismissed the plea, also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on petitioner M Immanuvel, a bookstall owner from Kovilampakkam. The petitioner had submitted that the term “lockdown” did not find place either in the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 or the Disaster Management Act of 2005 or any other law of the land, and hence was impermissible. He also contended that the lockdown violated the fundamental right to freedom of movement.

His counsel argued that lockdown can only help the government to ready the infrastructure required to deal with the situation and the spread of the disease can be controlled only through effective containment of the infected and getting people to take precautionary measures such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing. Based on that, he wanted the court to direct the government to withdraw the lockdown and ensure the progression of normal life.