Netizens Divided as Delhi High Court Refuses Plea Hearing on Lockdown Suggestion Amid Spiking Cases

New Delhi has witnessed a surge of over 6,000 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours. In recent days, rumours about the city going into another lockdown have been making the rounds on social media. The Delhi High Court, however, has cleared the air.

The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to hear a petition that urged for imposing an urgent lockdown in the Indian national capital amid surging COVID-19 cases.

The court said “no homework was done before filing this plea”, while also questioning Dr Kaushal Kant Mishra if a lockdown had appeared as the only solution to tackle the present situation. 

“How do you think a writ court can do this? Have you considered the studies? This situation is despite too much lockdown”, Justice Prateek Jalan – who, along with Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.N. Patel, was part of the bench that was to hear this petition – was quoted as saying.

The strong reaction against announcing another lockdown in the Indian capital from the court has created major buzz on social media.

While some netizens have expressed their approval for another public "hibernation", some have sided with the Delhi High Court in dismissing the plea.

Hon Court ,

Yes , it is.#DelhiLockdown again is the only primary solution . Running away from this itself another crime.

— AlertCitizenCop (@AshuCrix) November 23, 2020

If you only want to stop the spread of Virus, unfortunately lockdown is the only solution. Period.

However, since we have a large population who are daily wage earners, lockdown will become a bottleneck for their livelihood.

Playing a delicate balancing act is the way to go.

— Neo (@iAmSubhra17) November 23, 2020

If lockdown is really effective, then we wouldn't have been in this situation after 21 days national lockdown. Lockdown only destroys economy and lives of poor, nothing else

— Atmakuri Asish (@AsishAtmakuri) November 23, 2020

One should shudder, not shop! #DelhiLockdown.
Some sanity has to return.

Other cities with people going crazy shopping are next in line.#COVID19 is far from gone.#MaskUp
Keep #SocialDistance https://t.co/DCTEy6GCGK

— Vijaya Moorthy (@vmoorthynow) November 22, 2020

@ArvindKejriwal @CMODelhi @LtGovDelhi This is how mask distribution but no social distancing will lead to decrease in covid cases . It's high time for a lockdown in Delhi #DelhiLockdown https://t.co/5O5qicuSjB

— Usha (@Usha03873716) November 22, 2020

​The number of coronavirus patients in India has alarmingly crossed the 9-million mark.

At the same time, the Supreme Court of India has pointed out the "grim" pandemic situation in the country and has asked all states to be "prepared"; several Indian states and cities have announced curfew timings and lockdown-like restrictions to curb the numbers. 

Delhi's state chief Arvind Kejriwal recently said that the entire city will not go into lockdown, but some markets that have emerged as hotspots could be regulated for the time being.

On 24 March, ​Prime Minister Modi announced a strict nationwide lockdown aiming to control the spread of the pandemic in the country. Between March and May, India observed the biggest lockdown in the world. 

Starting 31 May, the Indian government began phasing out the lockdown rules under its "Unlock" scheme that helped the country return to basic normalcy, especially economically.