Mumbai: The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni on Tuesday said it can't go beyond the medical advice and allow registered clerks and lawyers to use local trains for their commute to work. The bench has asked the Maharashtra government to spell by July 16 if it would permit the 60 registered clerks to travel via the local trains.
The bench was seized with a clutch of petitions seeking permission for advocates to travel via local trains so that they could commute to work without any inconveniences.
On Tuesday, when the matter was called out, the bench ordered government pleader Poornima Kantharia to submit by July 16, the decision of the state, if it would allow the clerks or not.
"This is pursuant to our meeting Ms Kantharia, with the administrative committee. Let us know if the 60 registered clerks can use local trains," the chief justice said.
To this, advocate Shyam Devani, appearing in one of the petitions, said the court should consider the grievances of the advocates as they facing too many difficulties.
Having heard him, the chief justice responded, "It is not that as if we aren't alive to the difficulties faced by the lawyers. But we cannot go beyond the medical advice."
"And let us clarify, we are taking this advice from the state's highest medical body - the Maharashtra Covid-19 Task Force," CJ Datta added.
The bench accordingly adjourned the matter till July 16.