New Delhi, Apr 30 (IANS): The Supreme Court said on Friday that the high courts should exercise restraint in making 'off-the-cuff' remarks.

While hearing a suo moto case on the prevailing Covid situation in the country, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Nageswara Rao and S. Ravindra Bhat observed that any off-the-cuff remark made by the high courts may be damaging to persons and can given misgivings about them.

The observation was made by the top court at the fag end of the nearly four-hour long hearing on Covid related issues, after the Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, flagged the issue of certain remarks made by the high courts while hearing cases related to the pandemic.

Earlier the top court asked the Delhi government to cooperate with the Centre.

"Politics is for the time of elections, but now the citizens' lives are at stake," the SC bench said.

The top court also praised the work done by the officials to mitigate the effects of the unfolding crisis.

"We want to send a message to the Delhi government that it must take the approach of cooperation. Please send a message to the highest level that at extreme times, there should not be any political bickering. Politics is for the time of elections. Now the citizens' lives are at stake. We want cooperation," the SC bench told Rahul Mehra representing the Delhi government.