Composition of Gujarat HC Bench that criticised state govt changed abruptly

Days after a special bench of the Gujarat High Court made scathing criticism on the state’s BJP government for its inept handling of the COVID-19 crisis, the bench has abruptly been changed. In its order, Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court Vikram Nath has now replaced the bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Justice IJ Vora with a new bench comprising himself and Justice JB Pardiwala.

The division bench of the Gujarat High Court had earlier this week come down heavily on the state government as the COVID-19 deaths in Ahmedabad neared 1,000-mark. Singling out the appalling condition of the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad for criticism, the high court bench had termed the condition ‘pathetic’ and ‘as good as a dungeon or maybe even worse.’ While 764 people have died in Ahmedabad alone, close to 400 of them have died at the city’s Civil Hospital alone.

The bench had said, “It is very distressing and painful to note that the condition prevailing, as on date, in the Civil Hospital, is pathetic… We are very sorry to state that the Civil Hospital Ahmedabad, as on date, appears to be in an extremely bad shape.”

The bench had also slammed Health Minister Nitin Patel and Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Jayanti Ravi for poor monitoring of health care facilities.