After Facing Immense Backlash, Delhi Govt Withdraws Order On Ashoka Hotel Covid Centre For HC Judges  

A day after declaring the Ashoka Hotel a dedicated Covid facility for judges of Delhi High Court and their family members, the Delhi government withdrew the order after the court took exception.

"Issued directions to withdraw this order immediately," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia responded to a tweet citing how 100 rooms at the Ashoka Hotel will be converted into a Covid facility for the judges, other judicial members of the Delhi High Court and their families.

On Monday, the Delhi government authorised the Primus Hospital to run a Covid care facility at the Ashoka Hotel for the judges of Delhi High Court and their family members.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court took suo motu cognizance of reports on the issue and asserted that it had not made any request for creating Covid facilities for its judges, staff and their families in a five star hotel.

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said: "No communication has been made to anyone in this regard."

The bench also came down heavily on Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government for reserving 100 rooms in 5 Star Ashoka Hotel for its judges and other judicial staffers as Covid centres.

As reported by Live Law, the High Court took strong objection by stating that the government cannot create such an exclusive facility and that the court has not made any request for one. The court consequently asked the government to take corrective action.

"Its unthinkable that we as an institution will want any preferential treatment...Can we as an institution say that create a special facility for us? Will this not be blatantly discriminatory that people can't get treatment and there is a facility in five star hotel for us", the bench observed.

Notably, th Delhi government has also been facing flak for alleged mismanagement in tackling Coronavirus pandemic. Yesterday, the Jaipur Golden hospital criticised Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s statement that hospitals are making unnecessary SOS calls. “Should hospitals wait without oxygen? How long after a patient dies should hospitals issue SOS," the hospital reacted.

With IANS Inputs