The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the issue of declaring people associated with the judicial functioning, including judges, court staff and lawyers as “frontline workers”.
A bench of JusticeVipin Sanghi and Justice Rekha Palli decided to convert a representation made by Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) for vaccination of the members of the Judiciary, the employees/ staff working in the Courts, as well as the advocates on priority and without limitations of their age or physical condition.
The bench said prima facie it was of the view that there is “weight” in the claim made by the Bar Council of Delhi for declaring all persons associated with the judicial functioning, as frontline workers.
“There is a clear pattern emerging that the number of COVID-19 positive cases increases with greater intermingling and congregation of people. Court premises of the Delhi High Court and some of the District Courts, and all the Court rooms are air-conditioned. With increased footfall, there is likelihood of the rate of infection amongst those who attend the Courts spiking, once the full-fledged physical functioning of Courts in Delhi resumes,” the high court said.
“It would be necessary to ascertain the availability of the two vaccinations in use in India, namely COVISHIELD and COVAXIN manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech,” the high court said.
The high court also gave an urgent notice to the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi; the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for January 4, the next date of hearing.