E-Paper
SC seeks Centre’s response over priority Covid vaccination for judges, lawyers
A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde agreed to consider the plea seeking to include lawyers, judges and the court staff among the Centre's classification of frontline workers for Covid-19 vaccination.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked for Centre’s response to a petition seeking priority Covid-19 vaccination for judges, lawyers and court staff claiming they were part of frontline workers, who were being vaccinated in the current round in the country.
“As per the government panel, police, armed forces, security organizations and municipal workers fall in the category of frontline workers. But whatever these groups of citizens do culminates in the judicial system. Lawyers, judges, staff employed with courts and lawyers should be given priority in administration of the vaccine,” argued Amit Khemka, the petitioner’s counsel.
The petition filed by a lawyer, Arvind Singh, equated judges, lawyers, court staff and the staff employed by lawyers as frontline workers rendering essential services of administering justice even during the difficult times of Covid-19 pandemic. The petitioner said that the government has identified certain groups of citizens as deserving of the vaccine in the first round, leaving out the essential services being performed by the judicial system.
The petition was drawn by advocate Rishi Sehgal, who said, “despite forming part of ‘essential services’, working continuously and discharging their respective duties towards the constitutional framework of India even during the times of this deadly Covid-19, the Judges, court staff, lawyers and their staff do not find mention in the priority group identified by the respondents for administration of vaccine.”
Also Read: GST evasion case: Let's try not to put everyone in jail, says Supreme Court
It was on December 28 last year that the government came out with the “Covid-19 Vaccines Operational Guidelines” laying out the mechanism for the rollout of vaccination across the country. According to the guidelines, three population groups, including healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those above 50 years along with persons above the age of 50 with co-morbidities, were to be vaccinated first. The category of frontline workers was to include Central and State Police Departments, Armed Forces, Home Guard and Civil Defence Organizations including disaster management volunteers and Municipal workers.
After hearing the arguments, a three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde agreed to consider the issue and issued notice to the health ministry and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration working under it, seeking a response within two weeks.
