Centre challenges Delhi’s HC to SC about show cause notice of contempt adhering for oxygen shortage in Delhi

The Union Government on Wednesday moved further to the Supreme Court over the show cause notice contempt to it by the Delhi High Court adhering to deficit in oxygen supply to Delhi.

Amid the discussion, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said to the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta about the convenience of the special bench listening to the suo motu matter will be ascertained to review if the same can be heard today.

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court has directed a show cause notice to the Centre, urging for further explanation about the reasons for the Court to not initiate contempt proceedings against it. The notice was also issued citing the “non-compliance” of the order sent by Supreme Court dated May 2, urging the Centre to further resolve the issue of shortage of medical oxygen in Delhi’s hospitals on or before 12 am of May 3. The HC stated, “You can put your head in sand like ostrich, we will not.”
“The Supreme Court has passed an order directing the Centre to ensure the supply. The Centre has submitted to us that a compliance affidavit is being filed before the Supreme Court tomorrow. We fail to understand what good a compliance affidavit will do when the required oxygen is not being brought to Delhi? Even the allocated oxygen has not been delivered on a single day.”
Further, the High Court revealed the Central Government has presented that the Supreme Court has not issued the order to supply 700 metric tonnes (MT) oxygen to Delhi. It added, “We disagree with the Centre. The Supreme Court has clearly directed the Centre to provide 700 MT oxygen to Delhi per day.”
The Delhi High Court iterated about the assurance that central government gave to the Supreme Court has “certainly not being fulfilled and we are personally seeing day after day hospitals and nursing homes running to us for emergency supply of oxygen.”