N.Ramesh respondent Petitioner adv Ajay goesh-The WP No. 7670/2020 came up for admission as Item No.2 on the 18th May, 2020 before the DB of Hon’ble Mr. Justice M. Sathyanarayanan and Dr. Justice Anita Sumanth. N Ramesh, Senior Panel Counsel appeared for Govt. of India. The writ petition was filed for the following relief:
[5/18, 13:30] Sekarreporter 1: Petitioner adv Ajay goesh
[5/18, 13:31] Sekarreporter 1: The WP No. 7670/2020 came up for admission as Item No.2 on the 18th May, 2020 before the DB of Hon’ble Mr. Justice M. Sathyanarayanan and Dr. Justice Anita Sumanth. N Ramesh, Senior Panel Counsel appeared for Govt. of India. The writ petition was filed for the following relief:
To issue Writ of MANDAMUS directing the respondents
(i) to issue a clear, definite detailed and comprehensive guidelines and instructions for the safety and precautionary measures for the drivers, conductors and other staffs and for the travelling public/passengers, so as to prevent the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and to publicize such instructions through all print and electronic media and other modes to create awareness among the staff and public in advance, by taking into account the suggestions and request made in the representations of the petitioner’s union dated 08.05.2020 and in this writ petition and by incorporating the same in the instructions and the guidelines, before commencing the operation of buses on and from 18.05.2020 and to extend such comprehensive instructions and guidelines to all public transport operators/ bus operators including the private bus operators and to deploy sufficient police force/ regulation staff and volunteers at every terminus/ bus stand/bus stop so as to manage and request the crowd and so as to ensure the social distancing, till normally is restored
(ii) To direct the respondents 1 to 5 to waive all the taxes and fees, such as road tax, entry tax, toll fee etc., and permit and FC renewal charges and also to bear the difference in operation costs due to the imposition of restriction to allow only below 50% of the capacity of the bus by way of compensation till the Covid-19 pandemic crisis in order and normally is restored and thus render justice.
After hearing the petitioner, the division bench dismissed the 2nd prayer of the writ petition. As far the 1st prayer, the writ petition is disposed of with the direction to the state government to file “status report” as to the compliance of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) dated 17.4.2020 and 6.5.2020 in operating buses. For filing compliance report the case is adjourned to 1.6.2020 for “status report”.
