It has been reported that the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi has issued notice in a petition wherein the Petitioner has sought to quash the ban on travelers from United Kingdom, member countries of European Union (EU) and Turkey to India from March 18, 2020 till March 31, 2020.

The impugned Circular banning the travel of passengers from UK, EU and Turkey to India was issued in the wake of the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on March 16, 2020, in continuation Government's travel advisory dated March 11, 2020.

The Circular in question is reproduced herein for reference:

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Reportedly, the Petitioner in the case is the Father of an Indian student in Scotland, UK and he has alleged in the Petition that his is son not able to return to India in view of the aforesaid ban.

Ban on travelers- Government bans all International flights scheduled to India

In the aforesaid context, it would be relevant to mention that in view of upsurge witnessed in Coronavirus cases in India, the Government of India issued Additional Travel Advisory dated March 19, 2020 banning all international commercial passenger aircrafts scheduled to India. The relevant extract of the advisory states that "No scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft shall take off from any foreign airport for any airport in India, after 0001 hrs GMT of March 22, 2020 (*i.e. 0531 hrs Indian Standard Time (IST) of March 22, 2020). These instructions shall remain in force till 0001 hrs GMT of March 29, 2020."

It has also been notified that no incoming scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft shall be allowed to disembark its passengers *on Indian soil* (Foreigner or Indian) after March 22, 2020.

The COVID-19 outbreak, which has been declared a Pandemic has severely hit nations worldwide and subsequently the Government of India while taking precautionary measures prohibited passengers from the UK and the European Union. Resultantly, several Indians which also include students have been left stranded in these countries, where the impact of coronavirus pandemic is harsh and relatively severe.

The case is next scheduled for hearing on March 25, 2020.

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