New Delhi: Supreme Court has rejected Manjeshwar legislator A K M Ashraf’s petition challenging the Karnataka government’s decision to deny entry to people travelling from Kerala without RT-PCR negative certificate indicating they are free of COVID-19.
A bench headed by Justice Nageshwar Rao held that the guidelines prepared by the Karnataka government were not violative of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
Advocate Harris Beerankutty who appeared for Ashraf argued that the Karnataka government order making Covid-negative certificate mandatory was issued in July. Subsequently, the central government came out with specific guidelines stating that restrictions should not be imposed on inter-state travel.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court allowed the Manjeshwar MLA to submit a special petition to the Karnataka government seeking changes in the norms as per the central guidelines.
Setback for expatriates
Dubai: The Government of India's decision to suspend the permission granted for emergency travel to the country from Gulf countries without RT-PCR negative certificates has landed the expatriates in a spot.
As per the centre’s new direction all passengers should upload their RT-PCR negative certificates on Air Suvidhaa, the self-declaration form to be mandatorily filled by overseas travellers arriving in India.
The permission granted by the central government for travelling to India for emergency purposes including the death of near and dear ones back home without waiting for the test results has now been suspended. RT-PCR test results are available within three hours in front of Dubai airport terminal and at Sharjah airport.
However, the major problem is being faced by people who have to undertake emergency travel from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.
