A PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court with the prayer that judges, lawyers and their staff should be considered frontline workers and priority should be given to them in the coronavirus vaccination campaign.
The PIL has been filed by two advocates, Vaishnavi Golave and Yogesh Morbale. According to the PIL, lawyers across the state are falling victim to coronavirus infection after the court resumed physical functioning. Hence, the risks associated with the legal profession cannot be ignored.
The petitioner states that the judges, lawyers and their staff were on duty during the lockdown. In the corona era, members of the judiciary have in some way played the role of front-line workers. In this situation, it is discriminatory not to give them priority which is against Article 14 of the Constitution.
It was pointed out that medical staff, citizens above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age suffering from various co-morbidities, are being vaccinated. All High Court judges are above 45 years of age.
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Access to justice is a fundamental right for all people. The judiciary, lawyers play an important role in ensuring this right. In such a situation, it is important to get priority in the coronavirus vaccination programme, claimed the PIL.