Chaini Parwani –
Published On: December 16, 2021 at 13:00 IST
The Bombay High Court asked Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary to submit an Affidavit summarizing the reasons on the State Government’s Verdict to allow only ‘Fully Vaccinated’ people to travel in local trains.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Makarand S Karnik was hearing Petitions filed by activists Feroze Mithiborwala and Yohan Tengra.
Further Advocates Nilesh Ojha and Tanveer Nizam, representing the Petitioners prayed that all people in Mumbai Metropolitan Region to be permitted to travel by local trains.
Furthermore, the Petitioners highlighted the alleged Deaths due to vaccines in European countries.
Chief Justice Datta sternly replied, “Show us only from Indian reports and what our scientists are saying. They’re (Other nations) still struggling with Covid, while we’ve gone past second wave. We stand on much better footing. Do not compare India with them. Those countries should learn from India. In European countries, there is sparse population. Here, only in Dharavi there is population as much as a European country, therefore in India, there are more challenges.”
The Bench noted that the issue concerns curtailing the Fundamental Right of Citizens pertaining a single dose or no dose, as their ‘Bread and Butter’ is dependent on daily wages and that some of them cannot afford other modes of Transport.
The Court further asked the State Chief Secretary, also the CEO of State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and Chairperson of the State Executive Committee, to submit an Affidavit by Tuesday, December 21.
The Court posted the Matter for a further Hearing on December 22.
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