Consider lockdown to curb 2nd wave of covid: SC tells Centre and state govts

News Network

May 3, 2021

New Delhi, May 3: The Supreme Court has asked the Union and state governments to consider imposing a ban on mass gatherings and super-spreader events, as well as bring about a lockdown, to curb the spread of the coronavirus "in the interest of public welfare".

A three-judge bench, presided over by Justice D Y Chandrachud, made the suggestion in light of the continuing surge of infections in the country. The court asked the Centre and state governments to put on record by May 10 the efforts taken to curb the spread of the virus and the measures that they plan on taking in the near future.

The order comes at a time when several state governments have imposed curbs, including curfew on movement of the public, at a local level.

In a detailed order in the suo motu matter, released on Sunday evening, the bench clarified, "We are cognisant of the socio-economic impact of a lockdown, specifically on the marginalised communities. Thus, in case the measure of a lockdown is imposed, arrangements must be made beforehand to cater to the needs of these communities."

The court, which asked the Centre to revisit its policy on procurement of essentials drugs, oxygen and vaccination, also favoured taking care of healthcare professionals -- not just limited to doctors, but also nurses, hospital staff, ambulance drivers, sanitation workers and crematorium workers for their dedicated efforts in currently tackling the pandemic.

The bench, also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat, noted that the Centre has extended for one year the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme of Rs 50 lakh to help about 22 lakh healthcare professionals.

The court directed the central government to inform how many claims are pending under the scheme, and the timeline to settle them.

It noted that till date, only 287 claims have been settled, including from the families of 168 doctors who died after contracting Covid-19 while treating patients.

The court also asked the central government to provide other facilities such as food, rest during intervals, transportation, non-deduction of salary, overtime allowance in both public and private hospitals. A separate helpline for doctors and healthcare professionals was also needed to ensure the nation truly acknowledges their effort and creates incentives for them".

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UN condemns Israeli regime’s ‘organized torture’ against Palestinians

News Network

November 30,2025

The United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) has condemned the Israeli regime for enforcing a policy of “organized torture” against Palestinians.

In a report published on Friday, CAT stated that the occupying regime enforces a deliberate policy of “organized and widespread torture and ill-treatment” against Palestinian abductees, particularly since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza.

The committee expressed “deep concern over repeated severe beatings, dog attacks, electrocution, water-boarding, use of prolonged stress positions [and] sexual violence” inflicted on Palestinians.

Palestinian prisoners were degraded by “being made to act like animals or being urinated on,” systematically denied medical care, and subjected to excessive restraints, “in some cases resulting in amputation,” the report added.

CAT also condemned the routine application of “unlawful combatants law” to justify the prolonged detention without trial of thousands of Palestinian men, women, and children.

More than 10,000 Palestinians, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons, according to Palestinian and international human rights groups, with 3,474 Palestinians in “administrative detention,” meaning they are imprisoned without trial for indefinite periods.

The report highlighted the “high proportion of children who are currently detained without charge or on remand,” noting that while Israel sets the age of criminal responsibility at 12, even younger children have been abducted.

Children designated as security prisoners face severe restrictions on family contact, may be subjected to solitary confinement, and are denied access to education, in clear violation of international law.

The committee further suggested that Israel’s policies across the Occupied Territories constitute collective torture against the Palestinian population.

“A range of policies adopted by Israel in the course of its continued unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading living conditions for the Palestinian population,” the report said.

On Thursday, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas condemned the systematic killing and torture of Palestinian abductees in Israeli prisons, urging international action to halt these abuses.

Citing human rights data, Hamas stated that 94 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli prisons since the start of Tel Aviv’s genocidal war on Gaza.

“This reflects an organized criminal approach that has turned these prisons into direct killing grounds to eliminate our people,” the resistance movement said.

Hamas called on the international community, the UN, and human rights organizations to immediately pressure Israel to end crimes against prisoners and uphold their rights as guaranteed by all international conventions and norms.

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