#SupremeCourt to shortly hear 𝙨𝙪𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙪 (at Court's behest) case related to 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 at PAN India level.
JJJ. DY Chandrachud, LN Rao & S. Ravindra Bhat to take up hearing.

[This hearing is classified as "Urgent"]

Hearing commences.

I have filed a detailed reply, SG Tushar Mehta for Centre tells Court.

“This a fight of the nation & that is the spirit with which this reply has been filed. If we win or lose, we do it as a nation & we fight as nation,” SG says

“Kerala & Tamil Nadu are being praised in this letter by the way they have handled the oxygen crisis,” says SG

We want to make it clear that the object of this suo motu is not to supplant the High Courts. Their work is extremely important, says Justice Chandrachud

However, supremely important for us to be part of this. We are NOT preventing high courts from doing anything. We intend to play a complementary role, says Justice Chandrachud

We are here for a useful purpose, as a Constitutional Court. We cannot be a mute silent spectator at a time of national crisis, says Justice Chandrachud

Centre would never oppose any constitutional court calling upon us to know how we are dealing with pandemic. Please examine what steps we have taken, because there are some perceptions, Says SG Tushar Mehta

We’re dealing with a national crisis, says SG

Sr. adv Vikas Singh (SCBA President) interjects. He is also appearing for the State of West Bengal.

SG: Mr. Vikas Singh, I have not finished.

Singh: Oh, I’m so sorry.

Situation is being monitored and reviewed literally on an hourly basis & work is being done across political lines, says SG

Justice Bhat: I want to flag two issues which are within Centre’s control:

1) Use of Central resources- paramilitary forces, army doctors etc... so what is the national planning for this.

Justice Bhat:
2) What is the Centre’s thinking about the Vaccine price?
We should all know these issues. If Centre clarifies this, a lot of issues will be sorted at all levels.

SG: Resources at the command of central government are being put to use as required.

@vikassinghSrAdv for state of west bengal: Vaccine pricing is differential for the first time. This will create a huge problem. There should not be different pricing between centre & state.

Collective work required, @vikassinghSrAdv for West Bengal Gov.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi for State of Rajasthan.
“Rajasthan is the largest state and the least densely populated. It has a very galloping rate of infections” says @DrAMSinghvi

Singhvi tells court that oxygen allocation for state of Rajasthan not at par with dire need.

Singhvi: Yesterday a misleading statement by INOX has come to fore.
Inox runs the Bhiwadi plant.
The Delhi HC has said that we have detained the tankers.

Go to Delhi HC for a correctional order, bench says. “We will not micromanage here”

Singhvi is referring to the following issue & observations made by #DelhiHighCourt yesterday: https://lawbeat.in/top-stories/obstruction-tankers-endangers-lives-centre-must-take-strict-action-delhi-high-court

Yesterday Delhi High Court called upon Inox - Delhi Govt had claimed a shortage of tankers.
There was panic & news was coming from state governments that tankers were being stopped by District Authorities. Cenyre passed an order rectifying this issue, says SG.