Pregnant Woman Stranded In USA Accomodated In Flight Today To India: Centre Tells SC

The Centre informed Top Court today that the Pregnant Indian woman, who's plea was taken up yesterday for repatriation from USA to India has been accomodated in a flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had informed a bench of Justices Nageswara Rao, Abdul Nazeer & Sanjeev Khanna yesterday that attempts were being made in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure to initiate evacuation processes.

The Court had directed Centre to do the needful but did not pass orders as prayed for.

The petitioner's lawyer, Mr. Sanjay M. Nulli had argued that the petitioner was at an advanced stage of pregnancy and was stuck in the United States along with her 18 month old daughter & husband. Thus, any more delay for repatriation would be disastrous on her health.

When the matter came up for hearing, the bench was initially inclined to serve a copy on the Solictor General but list it for today but then passed it over.

Advocate Nulli had insisted that as the "flight is tomorrow, this order would not serve any purpose".

Apropos this, when the passed over matter was taken up again, the bench observed that it was not inclined to pass any orders but asked the Government to take cognisance of the issue accordingly.

The Supreme Court has been taking up evacuation petitions of several stranded Indian Citizens since the lockdown was imposed in India and international cross-border Air travel had been blocked.

On May 8, While hearing a plea on behalf of over 250 pregnant Indian women praying for evacuation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Supreme Court observed that women who are at the final stage of pregnancy (Third Trimester) must be given top priority for purposes of repatriation.

The Centre had issued Standard Operating Protocols on May 6 for evacuation of Indian Citizens stranded Abroad amid the pandemic.

Termed the "Vande Bharat Mission", the evacuation has been started at the behest of Government. As on date, stranded Indians from various countries have been brought back.