Priority vaccination for legal fraternity: SC stays Bombay HC proceedings

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 9

Should the members of the legal fraternity be administered COVID19 vaccines on a priority basis?

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the proceedings on a PIL pending in the Bombay High Court that sought directions for priority vaccination facility for members of the legal fraternity.

Acting on a petition filed by Serum Institute of India seeking transfer of PIL from the Bombay High Court to the top court,  a Bench led by CJI SA Bobde issued the stay order and posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks.

Earlier, it had stayed proceedings in a similar matter in the Delhi High Court that had sought priority vaccination facility for the members of the legal fraternity after Centre submitted that it was against the idea of creating a separate class of lawyers or any other such groups below the age of 45 years.

Currently, vaccination is open for those above 45 years of age who can take either COVISHIELD or COVAXIN.

The Delhi High Court had last month asked the Centre to explain the rationale behind keeping strict control over the class of persons who can be vaccinated.

While maintaining that it was not opposed to the legal fraternity but tomorrow journalists and bankers and people from other walks of life may also demand priority in vaccination which can potentially create problems.

Vaccine manufacturers — Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech — have sought transfer of cases pending in various high courts to the top court, saying different high courts were seeking data on vaccine production and the deadline by which vaccines could be made available to all.

The Bench has already issued notice to the Centre and others on the transfer petitions.