State has failed to protect right to life of citizens: HC during Covid hearing

"State has failed. We all have failed", and state has failed to protect right to life of citizens, an anguished Delhi high court said on Friday as it was informed about death of a COVID-19 patient whose family was pleading for an ICU bed for the last three days.

While the proceedings were on, the patient's relative urged the court to request authorities to arrange for an ICU bed as his vitals were low and he was in that emergency ward of a hospital.

Within minutes he informed the bench, however, that the patient has died. "I have failed, my brother-in-law has expired, so no more efforts are needed."

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli then said: "No, the state has failed. We all have failed. We have been informed that the patient has expired. We may record our complete helplessness in the situation. We can only say that the state has failed to protect the right to life of people guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution."

The bench, which has been conducting proceedings on oxygen crisis, heard the matter for over four hours.