Cannot be mute spectator to COVID-19 crisis, will coordinate efforts: SC

New Delhi, Apr 27: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that while high courts were in a better position to monitor situations in individual states, the SC cannot sit quietly during covid crisis.

The SC bench of justices DY Chandrachud, L Nageswara Rao and Ravindra Bhat was hearing the suo moto case registered to examine the issues faced by the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Justice D Y Chandrachud said high courts are in a better position to monitor the pandemic situation within their territorial boundaries.

There is a need for top court's intervention on certain national issues as there might be matters related to coordination between states, it said.

"We are playing complementary role, if High Courts have any difficulty in dealing with issues due to territorial limitations, we will help," said the bench, also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat.

Last Thursday, the bench took note of the pandemic situation due to sudden surge in COVID-19 cases as also mortality and said it expected the Centre to come out with a "national plan" to deal with distribution of essential services and supplies, including oxygen and drugs.

Observing that oxygen to patients infected with the virus is said to be an "essential part" of treatment, the top court had said it seemed that a certain amount of "panic" has been generated due to which people have approached several high courts seeking relief.