Kerala HC notice to Centre on plea to bring back stranded Indians in UAE

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Saturday sought the central government's response to a petition seeking a direction to bring back Indians stranded in the UAE in view of the outbreak of coronavirus in the Gulf nation.

Considering the plea by Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) in Dubai, a Division Bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Shaji P Chaly directed the Centre to file an affidavit on the steps taken by it to ensure the safety of Indians living there and bring back those stuck in the Gulf countries.

In its plea, KMCC, the organisation for non-resident Indians from Kerala, sought directions to the Ministries of External Affairs and Civil Aviation to provide exemptions in the international air travel ban to bring back those Indians stranded in the UAE.

The petitioners noted that those who return could be kept in quarantine as per the protocol of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Observing that Kerala was doing a good job in defending the coronavirus spread in the state, the Court, however, asked whether the state government would be in a position to tackle, if a large number of expatriates return.

The counsel for the central government informed the Court that a nodal officer has been appointed to deal with the situation in the Gulf.