New HC bench to hear PILs on COVID-19 situation in Bihar

Patna (Bihar) [India], May 6 (ANI): The division bench of the Patna High Court, which was hearing the Public Interest Litigations (PILs) on the COVID-19 situation in the state, has been changed.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice S Kumar has been replaced by the bench comprising Justices Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Mohit Kumar Shah which was hearing three PILs on the Covid-19 situation in Bihar.

The batch of three PILs of petitioners including Shivani Kaushik, Rohit Kumar and Gaurav Kumar Singh would now be heard by the new division bench.

A notice was issued by the high court listing section on Wednesday evening that the three PILs would be taken up for hearing by the division bench headed by Chief Justice Karol at 11 am on Thursday.

"As directed, kindly take notice that now the Regular D.B.-I (division bench) comprising The Chief Justice and Mr Justice S Kumar will take up the following matters for hearing through virtual mode at 11.30 am on Thursday (06.05.21)," the notification read.

The division bench of Justices Singh and Shah, during their past hearing since April 15, had made several verbal observations against the state government regarding its handling of the coronavirus situation.

The Bihar government has imposed a lockdown in the state till May 15 in light of the surge in the COVID-19 cases in the state.

The decision came after the Patna High Court on Monday asked the state government to control the COVID-19 situation and declare a lockdown or it will have to pass an appropriate order. (ANI)