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Judgment
The present petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, has been listed before this Bench, under the orders of Hon’ble the Chief
Justice, in view of the urgency expressed therein.
Let the writ petition be registered and numbered.
The writ petition has been heard by way of video conferencing. Our attention has been invited to the circumstance that, Indian nationals in sizeable
numbers, who are enrolled for higher studies, including MBBS, as regular students, inter alia, at the Semey Medical University in Kazakhstan, are
stated to be stranded including at the Almaty Airport, Kazakhstan without food, water, transportation and medical aid etc. since the last 2/3 days.
Issue notice.
Mr. Jasmeet Singh, Central Government Standing Counsel, who appears on advance notice, accepts notice on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs,
Government of India and Union of India and prays for time to obtain instructions/file brief reply.
Let this Bench be apprised of the brief response/reply on 27.03.2020.
In the meantime, having heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of the parties and perused the record; in view of the unsettled and difficult situation
â€"â€" emerging from the global COVID-19 pandemic â€"â€" in which Indian students find themselves stranded at the Almaty Airport, Kazakhstan,
we find it incumbent upon us to direct the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to promptly appoint a Nodal Officer from the Indian
Embassy in Kazakhstan to ensure, inter alia, the welfare, well-being and safety of all such Indian students. The Nodal Officer is directed to
expeditiously facilitate, secure and provide the said students with all basic amenities and including humanitarian assistance, in terms of, medical care,
boarding (food), lodging and transportation, as may be necessary or warranted.
The details and other necessary particulars of the Nodal Officer, so appointed, including his name and telephone number, be communicated to the
Indian students stranded at the Almaty Airport, Kazakhstan and be also uploaded on the official website of the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan, as well
as, on the website on the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, immediately.
Renotify on 27.03.2020.
A copy of this order be provided by the Registry, electronically, to learned counsel appearing on behalf of the parties. Further, a copy of this order be
uploaded on the website of this Court forthwith.