Pricing of N95 masks: HC asks Centre to file reply on May 22

Fiat comes during hearing of a PIL filed by activist, journalist

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to inform it on what decision has been taken on capping the prices of N95 masks.

Activist Anjali Damania had written to the Maharashtra government on the need to decide the cost of the masks because of the exorbitant prices they were sold at in the black market. Soon thereafter, the State wrote to the Central government on two occasions asking it to take a call on this.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice S.S. Shinde was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Ms. Damania and journalist Sucheta Dalal through senior advocate Mihir Desai.

Mr. Desai told the court that because of the lockdown and an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, there is a shortage of N95 masks, and it should be ensured that these masks are stocked by black marketers.

After the Maharashtra government told the HC that it had already written to the Centre on this issue and was awaiting its decision, the Bench directed the Centre to file its reply on May 22.