New Delhi, October 9: The Delhi High Court on Friday adjourned to November 27 hearing on a petition moved by the Delhi government challenging a stay on its order directing private hospitals to reserve 80 per cent ICU beds for COVID-19 patients. A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan adjourned the hearing.

The Delhi government had filed a petition through additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose against a single-judge bench order dated September 22 staying the order for private hospitals to reserve 80 per cent ICU beds exclusively for COVID-19 patients. India Reports 70,496 Coronavirus Cases in Past 24 Hours, COVID-19 Tally Goes Past 69 Lakh.

It had submitted that the bench has not appreciated the categoric submissions made on behalf of the appellant regarding the surge in the number of COVID-19 patients, and the dynamic efforts being undertaken by the appellant to tackle the ever-changing nature of the situation regarding healthcare and medical facilities in the NCT of Delhi on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The single-judge bench had issued the interim stay on a petition filed by the Association of Healthcare Providers India through advocates Sanyam Khetarpal and Narita Yadav claiming that the Delhi government order was passed in an arbitrary, unfair and illegal manner without realising the difficulties that may be faced by private nursing homes and hospitals.

It also stated that the order has been issued without any prior discussions with private hospitals to understand the current demand-supply situation of critical care beds. The plea also stated that the order is exposing non-COVID-19 patients to the risk of COVID-19.

"Reserving 80 per cent ICU beds will deny urgent care to seriously ill patients, requiring vital surgical interventions and critical care. These beds, which may constitute 15 per cent to 20 per cent of overall ICU bed capacity in some of the hospitals, are not usable for COVID-19 patients since very rarely does a COVID-19 patient of that age requires critical care," the plea had said.