PIL in Delhi HC seeks COVID-19 testing for court staff, their family members

A PIL has been moved in Delhi High Court seeking direction to the Delhi government to take necessary steps for providing COVID-19 testing facilities for advocates and judicial officers and their family members.

Advocate Vishesh Verma, a social activist, sought the facility of the testing lab and other samples collection facility of COVID for the advocates and other judicial officers and their staff within the court premises for the welfare of the advocates and other judicial officers and their staff.

The petition will be heard by a division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan on Friday. It states that thousands of advocates and judicial officers are practicing/working in Delhi-NCR during the COVID-19 situation but there are no facilities provided to the advocates to stop the spread of the virus.

The plea also stated that there are cases reported recently where judicial officers, staff and advocates got infected by COVID-19 but there are no facilities for them.

Therefore, in such a situation the advocates, judicial officers and their staff are not safe because most of the advocates are fully dependent upon practice and leading the life on a daily basis through legal practice only, the plea said.

The petitioner said that he has made a representation in this regard to respondents but to date, no action has been taken in this regard.

The plea said that several advocates are getting funds from Bar Council of Delhi because they are unemployed due to lockdown in view of COVID-19 but it is not sufficient for their livelihood.

( With inputs from ANI )