KATHMANDU, May 27 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the government to make necessary arrangements to provide a free of cost tests for coronavirus (COVID-19) to low-income people.

A single bench of Justice Tej Bahadur KC issued a stay order to this effect in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a group of lawyers including Advocate Santosh Bhandari. The next hearing has been scheduled for Sunday, directing authorities concerned to attend the hearing.

The apex court directed the government authorities - the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health -- to arrange free of cost COVID-19 tests to those who have less than Rs 275,000 annual income. The ap...