new delhi the supreme court tuesday refused to pass any blanket order directing the centre and states to consider granting parole or interim bail to prisoners above 50 years of age as also to those suffering from diabetes high blood pressure respiratory problem and other life threatening diseases in view of coronavirus pandemic a bench of chief justice s a bobde and justices l nageswara rao said it doesnt know what the government thinks about the issue but in the courts view it should be case by case we will not pass any blanket order you make an individual representation before the government about your case the bench said the top court said it was allowing the petitioner inperson advocate amit sahni to withdraw the petition with liberty to advise the individual prisoners who are suffering from any diseases to make a representation to the authorities for their release we see no justification in passing a general order the bench said sahni said in the plea that as per world health organisation who older persons and those suffering from preexisting medical conditions like high blood pressure diabetes heart and lung diseases can be seriously affected by the virus also called covid19 the plea said the apex court has already taken cognisance on its own about overcrowding in jails following the virus outbreak but the issue of vulnerability of certain category of persons including those above 50 years was not brought to its notice earlier on march 23 the top court had directed all the states and union territories to constitute highlevel committees to consider releasing on parole or interim bail prisoners and undertrials for offences entailing up to sevenyear jail term to decongest prisons in the wake of coronavirus pandemic sahni in his plea has said that persons over 50 years of age are at more risk if affected with coronavirus persons with diabetes respiratory problems renal disease and other life threatening illness are also prone to covid19 and impact of the same can be severe in such persons the plea said it said since the issue was not brought up before the apex court earlier no directions were passed regarding jail inmates above 50 years of age and those having medical conditions and the authorities were not considering them for release on parole or interim bail on march 16 the top court had taken suo motu on its own cognisance of overcrowding of prisons across the country and said it is difficult for jail inmates to maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus