On Tuesday, the High Court of Delhi issued notice to Delhi Govt on an application seeking to enlarge the number of laboratories that can undertake tests for COVID-19 and ramp up the testing process in respect of asymptomatic & symptomatic patients.

A division bench of Justice Hima Kohli & Justice S Prasad directed the Arvind Kejriwal-led Govt to reply on the application filed by Lawyer Sanjeev Sharma & listed the matter for further hearing on June 11.

Sanjeev Sharma filed the present application in a plea filed by Lawyer Rakesh Malhotra in person that was disposed off by the bench, vide order dated May 4.

Mr Sharma has sought relief for directing the respondents to make arrangement of proper treatment for COVID/non-COVID patients in hospitals.

Advocate Rakesh Malhotra, the petitioner in person, supported the application & submitted that there have been several instances where non-COVID patients are required to undergo surgery & other emergent procedures in the hospitals & the concerned hospital require the patients to undergo a COVID-19 test before the said procedure or surgery, but are unable to get the tests done as they are not permitted to do so by the Delhi Govt.

Sharma, in his fresh application, sought directions to the respondents to publish the correct data on their websites, in terms of the order dated May 4 passed in the present petition.

He also submitted that the respondents & all hospitals & nursing homes who have been permitted to treat COVID-19 patients must publish on their websites, the status of vacancy of beds on a daily basis so that patients are not forced to run from pillar to post.

Earlier, the HC had ordered the Govt to continue updating its website on a regular basis to reflect the correct number of tests that are being conducted for COVID-19 in Delhi, with mention of the number of cases that are positive or negative & state the number of results that are pending after the tests are conducted.

The Court disposed of the plea filed by Rakesh Malhotra, who raised an issue that the Delhi Govt wasn't taking expeditious steps to furnish reports after conducting tests for Coronavirus on suspected patients, within a reasonable time of 48 hours or even earlier. He said that due to such delay, the contact tracing is also getting delayed & the infection is multiplying rapidly in the city.

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