Delhi HC Issues Notice In Plea Challenging The Ban On Exports Of PPE Kits And Disposable Masks [Read Order]

The Single Bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva has issued notices to the Ministry of Commerce, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of External Affairs and to the Delhi Government.

Filed by an MSME named Thompson Press Services, the petition argues that the export restrictions imposed by the Central Government have caused immense hardship to the labour and loss of revenue to the companies.

Highlighting that the disposable face masks and PPE kits are highly essential in these conditions, the Petitioner has sought court's intervention in allowing export of:

1. non woven 3 layered disposable masks
2. disposable coverall PPE kits

The petition states that:

'There is a substantially "high demand" for masks in tune of millions, however, the Petitioner is denied export of the thousands of such masks due to their composition, thereby causing huge loss of revenue not only to the enterprise but to the Nation at large.'

The Petitioner has further argued that allowing the export of PPE kits would boost the national economy, help in revival of MSME sector and would also contribute to India's friendly relations with foreign countries.

It is also contended by the Petitioner that since the government has already lifted the ban on export of "non-surgical masks and kits" and various other masks to foreign countries on 16.05.2020, the ban on 3-layer surgical is wholly unreasonable and untenable.

The court will next take up the matter on July 10.

The Petitioner in this case was represented by: Mr.Nachiketa Vajpayee, Ms.Divyangna Malik and Mr.Deepak Prakash.

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