Madras HC rejects plea for more COVID-19 relief

A Division Bench comprising Justice M. Sathyanarayanan and Justice M. Nirmal Kumar heard the public interest litigation from K Bharathi, an advocate.

The bench, in its order, said, "The administration is alive to the situation and this court always expects the administration to take an appropriate call at the relevant points of time to address various problems."

It further said it cannot issue any positive direction to the administration in the light of the limitation involved in the exercise of jurisdiction by this court under Article 226 of the Constitution, especially with regard to the Fiscal Policy.

Counsel for the petitioner submitted that on account of the onset of pandemic COVID-19, the state government had announced a monetary compensation/relief of Rs 1,000 to ration cardholders [except White Card Holders].

The counsel said since the lockdown has been extended for a further period till May 3, the relief of Rs 1,000 is wholly inadequate.

He submitted that apart from the payment of the amount to the ration cardholders, no package or relief has been announced for the downtrodden people including casual workers, daily wage workers, contract and unorganised sectors.

Therefore, the petitioner prayed for a direction to the State Government to provide monetary benefit of Rs 15,000.