 In a Suomoto RIT petition, the Indian Supreme Court has passed a very considerate, considered, yet firm order and directions on 18th December 2020. The subject matter of the Suomoto RIT being handling of the COVID-19 situation, proper treatment of COVID-19 patients, and dignified handling of dead bodies in the hospitals, etc. On 18th December, the court ruled that the right to health is a fundamental right, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Right to health, the court said, includes affordable treatment. Therefore, it is the duty upon the state to make provisions for affordable treatment. Safety and health of the citizens must be the first priority for the government, said the court. The court observed that due to unprecedented pandemic, everybody in the world was suffering, one way or the other. It was like World War Against COVID-19. Hence, it was imperative to have government-public partnership to avoid World War Against COVID-19. And it was undisputed fact that for whatever reasons the treatment has become costlier and costlier. And it is not affordable to the common people at all, observed the court. Even if one survives from COVID-19 many a times financially and economically, he is finished. Accordingly, the court suggested that either more and more provisions are to be made by the state government and the local administration. Or there shall be cap on the fees charged by the private hospitals which can be in exercise of the powers under the Disaster Management Act. The court also came down very heavily on the violations and non-implementation of the guidelines and SOPs. It noted that despite the guidelines and SOPs having been issued and in place, the pandemic had spread like wildfire. Hence, a strict and stern action was required to be taken against those who were violating the guidelines and SOPs. Whoever court felt and said he may be and whatever position the violator is or was occupying, that was not relevant. And very importantly, the court ruled that people should understand their duty and follow rules very strictly. It is the duty of every citizen to perform their fundamental duties as guaranteed under the constitution of India. By not following the guidelines SOPs issued by the state from time to time, such as not wearing the masks, not keeping social distances, to participate in the gatherings and the celebrations without maintaining social distances, those people are ultimately not damaging themselves. But they cause damage to the others as well. They cannot be permitted to play with the lives of the others. And they cannot be permitted to infringe the rights of other citizens like right to health guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. This is what the court observed in its order on 18th December 2020. And the Indian Supreme Court did not stop there. It directed the state to issue necessary directions with regard to deployment of more and more police personnel at the places where there is likelihood of gathering by the people. Such as food courts, eateries, vegetable markets, wholesale markets, retail markets, sabzi mandis, bus stations, railway stations, street vendors, etc. And the court expected that as far as possible, unless it is must, no permission should be granted by the local administration for celebration gatherings. And wherever those permissions have been granted, there should be strict mechanism to check the number of people attending such functions and gatherings. And adherence to the timings, etc. Further, the court desired more and more testing and to declare the correct facts and figures. One must be transparent, court felt, in number of testing and declaring the facts and figures of the persons who are corona positive. Otherwise, the people will be misled and they will be under the impression that everything is alright and they can become negligent. So right numbers as to facts and figures need to come forward. Even imposing curfew on weekends and night time should be considered by the state as and when required, court felt. The court also expressed sympathy and empathy with regard to the issue of fatigue of front row healthcare officers such as doctors, nurses as well as workers who are already exhausted physically and mentally due to tireless work of 8 months. So court felt some mechanism was required to give them intermittent rest. The court expressed even concern as to political events and gatherings. This order came from the highest judiciary in the country and it clearly reflects that it is all is not well with regard to COVID-19 situation. And it is not the government alone who is to be held responsible or who is responsible for its management. We as citizens are equally, are equally accountable.