Justice Rekha Palli

Tushar Sannu counsel for the IHBAS told the Court that there was no need to increase the bed capacity as at present only eight patients were admitted in COVID facility.

The Medical Superintendent is expected to examine all other relevant factors that may emerge while dealing with the aforesaid questions,” said the Delhi High Court.

Central Government Standing Counsel Ajay Digpaul cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason behind the delay. The Court granted another four weeks for filing the Counter-affidavit while stating that interim orders will continue.

A division bench constituted to take up matters related to Covid-19 has for the last two months been industriously and on a daily basis trying to ensure that citizens are saved at any cost.

Senior Advocate Sanjoy Ghose, through an interim application, mentioned before the Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli, the IHBAS has a number of beds available at its facility.

It was suggested that the government should buy the essential material, decide on a venue to set things up and then involve the Army.

The Bench is hearing a slew of petitions on the shortage of life-saving drugs, oxygen and hospital beds in the Capital.

Advocate Virag Gupta claimed that opposite party leaders and other workers are hoarding and black-marketing the medicines in Delhi.

Senior Counsel Rahul Mehra told the bencch, "Our entire projection of oxygen with reference to hospitals was through the Central government."

The other issue that came up before the Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli today was that while the entire country was striving to get hold of life-saving medicines such as Remdesivir and others.