Breaking: Centre Moves Supreme Court Against Delhi HC's Show Cause Notice On It's Failure Of Oxygen Supply To Delhi, CJI Directs To Place Before Chandrachud.J's Bench

Central Government has moved Supreme Court against Delhi High Court Order to show cause why contempt action should not be taken against Centre  for non-compliance of its order of May 1 and Supreme Court order regarding supply of Oxygen to Delhi Government.

SG Tushar Mehta mentioned before the Supreme Court on Thursday the Centre's plea arising out of a Delhi High Court order of yesterday regarding contempt action against its officials over oxygen supply to the national capital.

It may be noted that the Delhi High Court on Tuesday pulled up the Centre for its failure to meet the assurance with regard to the supply of 700MT per day liquid medical oxygen to the Delhi Government in line with the directions passed by the Supreme Court.

A division bench comprising Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli has directed the presence of Central Government officers Sumita Dawra and Piyush Goyal, who are handling oxygen allocation to states, tomorrow, to explain the failure to comply with the High Court and Supreme Court's order to supply the required oxygen to the Delhi Government to treat critical COVID patients.

Mentioning the matter before the bench of CJ N. V. Ramana and Justice Surya Kant, the SG advanced, "I have mentioned the matter before the Listing Registrar. There is some urgency. It needs to be heard today. An order has been passed by the Delhi High court yesterday regarding the oxygen issue. The High Court, relying on Your Lordships' directions, has asked the government officials to be present in person in contempt"

"What can we do?", asked the bench.

"This issue needs your attention. Please look into it. It is a pan-India issue", urged the SG.

"I don't hear his matter, that is why I have given it to Justice Chandrachud's bench", said the CJI.

"It may go anywhere. But let it be heard today, please", prayed the SG.

The CJI then directed that the matter be placed before a bench headed by Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and be listed as per his convenience.

The Supreme Court, in an order passed on April 30, had directed the Central Government to rectify the oxygen deficit of NCT of Delhi on or before the midnight of May 3. The direction was passed based on an assurance of the Solicitor General that the oxygen needs of Delhi will be met. The Supreme Court bench comprised Justices Chandrachud, L. Nageswara Rao and Ravindra Bhat.