Kriti Agrawal
The Kerala High Court has ordered the State Government to respond to a petition requesting that Advocates and Judicial officers be prioritized for vaccination.
Advocate Saiby Jose Kidangoor presented the case today before a Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice MR Anitha.
Advocate Saiby noted that the state of Chhattisgarh had designated lawyers as a priority group for vaccination, and that the Kerala government had designated journalists as frontline staff.
In response, Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan stated, “Because there are no vaccines available here, there is no use in recommending that Court officers and advocates be immunized. I’d like to be vaccinated as well, but what can I do?”
After the State acquired instructions, the Court directed that the matter be posted on Monday.
The petition, submitted by Advocate Benny Antony Parel through Advocates Saiby Jose Kidangoor, K Anand, Sibha S, Parvathy Vijayan, Mohammed Salih P M, and T M Muhamed Hafees, contends that lawyers have a duty to meet with individuals, hear their concerns in person, and examine the papers connected to the matter before presenting it to the relevant Courts.
The petitioner claims that, “As a result, the lawyers, like the health workers and police, ought to be considered as front-line workers by the government in the issue of Covid Vaccination and treatment for Covid related ailments.”
The petition requests these directives –
- That Judicial officers and lawyers be prioritized in the front-line category (priority group) for Covid immunization and other Covid-related treatment.
- That the category of frontline employees be broadened such that Judicial officers and lawyers receive priority immunizations.
In the interim, it is requested that the Court direct the Centre and State to issue appropriate directions on the petitioner’s email representation awaiting the resolution of the writ petition.