Never asked for COVID-19 facilities at a five-star hotel: Delhi High Court slams Arvind Kejriwal government

It was an embarrassing moment for the Arvind Kejriwal government with the Dehi High Court insisting it had never asked for Covid facilities at a five-star hotel and chiding the city government, pointing out that its order assigning a prominent hotel in the capital exclusively for judges was "wrong". The reference was to an order passed on Monday, which had said 100 rooms at the Ashoka hotel had been booked for High Court judges and their families.

"When did we ask for a 100-bed facility at a five-star hotel? We had only said if a judicial officer or a judge or their family is infected, they should get hospital admission," the High Court sternly told the Delhi Government. "Why did you cause this sort of a controversy? It is as if we asked Delhi Government for this facility. Or you did it to please us. You did everything on paper," the judges were cited by an NDTV portal as saying, apparently miffed at questions raised over five-star Covid facilities being earmarked for them at a time people are struggling for hospital beds.

This was a misconception created by the media, the Delhi government said but the explanation did not wash with the court. "Can you imagine that we can ask for something like this. People are not getting hospitals and we are asking you for beds in luxury hotels. Media is not wrong. Your order is wrong," the High Court said.