Traders Move Kerala High Court Seeking Relaxation of 'Unscientific' COVID Restrictions In The State

The apex body of traders in the state, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES), based out of Kozhikode moved the Kerala High Court on Friday seeking a directive to the State to relax the restrictions imposed on the functioning of shops. 

The traders quoted experts who had warned that opening shops on alternate days would only draw a crowd. They asserted that allowing them to operate on all days would enable customers to shop at a time of their convenience, thereby seeking a withdrawal of the restrictions imposed on them. 

Accordingly, they prayed that they may be permitted to function on all days, rather than the existing norm of opening them every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in a week

The petition also revealed that the financial position of merchants and shop owners of the State was pitiful. In these lines, they disclosed that they had lost 11 of their traders to suicide owing to their financial crisis following the imposition of these restrictions.

KVVES further made a comparative analysis with the neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where they contended that shops were not closed even when the pandemic was at its peak.

Additionally, they submitted that considering the test positivity rate alone to shut down shops and establishments was unscientific. 

The Indian Medical Association had recently addressed a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan calling the lockdown restrictions imposed on the State 'unscientific' and 'ineffective'.  This came after the State continued to witness a horrifying surge in Covid-19 cases. 

As per this letter, the current lockdown restrictions ironically encouraged people to crowd near shops and establishments.

Case Title: Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi v. Ottapalam Municipality