New Delhi, April 8: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the government to ensure free of cost testing for COVID-19 in all state-run as well private labs. The order comes amid the exponentially rising coronavirus cases in all parts of India. The top court has asked the central government to respond immediately over the compliance of its order. COVID-19 Live Tracker: Check The Spread of Coronavirus in All Parts of India.

The bench, headed by Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhat, also directed the government to allow the tests to be conducted only in NABL-accredited or any agency approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). India's COVID-19 Toll Rises to 5,247 With 485 Cases in Last 24 Hours, Death Count 149.

Read The Order Issued by SC

"The tests relating to COVID-19 whether in government laboratories or approved private laboratories shall be free of cost. The respondents shall issue necessary directions in this regard," read the order issued by the bench.

The directive to make tests free of cost comes amid a demand raised by the Opposition, as well as the civil society members, to increase the number of testings in India. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his criticism of the government, showed that the number of tests being conducted is even lower as compared to neighbouring Pakistan.

“India is simply not testing enough to fight the #Covid19 virus. Making people clap and shining torches in the sky isn't going to solve the problem (sic)," Gandhi said in a tweet.

See Rahul Gandhi's Tweet

The ICMR, in statement issued on Wednesday, said the testing capacity is being increased. So far, a total of 1,21,271 samples have been tested, it added. Nationwide, the toll of coronavirus cases in India jumped to 5,247, including 4,747 active cases and 560 closed cases. Among the latter, 410 have recovered, 1 patient has migrated and 149 have succumbed to death.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 08, 2020 07:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).