PIL In Delhi High Court Seeking Vaccination Of Legal Fraternity In The First Phase
A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Delhi High Court for vaccinating judges, judicial staffs, advocates, advocate clerks and the members of the legal fraternity in the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive.
The Petitioner, Advocate Amrendra Singh submits in his PIL –
“The legal services and functioning of judicial system is one of the sovereign functions of government and members of judicial system have right to be included in first phase of vaccination for proper functioning of the judicial system.”
The PIL includes Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Unique Identification Authority of India as necessary Respondents and Government of NCT, Delhi as proper party for adjudication of matter and hence, is the third Respondent in the matter.
Advocate Mr. Singh, has mentioned that due to the on-going pandemic the courts have not functioned to their full capacity and restricted audience, absence of examination of witnesses, limited hearing of cases, malfunctioning of software programmes operating the video system and the delays in hearing are leading to a crisis not only for litigants and lawyers but also to many who draw their sustenance from the courts, such as the small canteen workers, couriers, Photostat, shops, etc.
Mr. Singh avers that the well being of Judiciary is essential for the citizen’s right to access justice and the government by not including the legal fraternity in the first phase of vaccination drive is infringing the citizen’s fundamental right to access justice.
The petitioner has stated that the PIL was filed after the Supreme Court Bar Association vide letter dated 18.01.2021 had requested the Hon’ble Law Minister to extend the vaccination to Judges, members of the staff and lawyers who work in judicial system as frontline workers, but no action had taken place in furtherance.
By way of this filing, Mr. Singh has prayed to the Hon’ble Delhi High Court to issue any writ, order or direction to the Respondents and include the legal fraternity in the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination, direct the Respondents to arrange and facilitate required infrastructure in all court premises for vaccination and complete the vaccination within 2 months in coordination with Unique Identification Authority of India.
Access Copy of Petition Here