New Delhi, Feb 4 : While hearing a petition seeking inclusion of judges and advocates in the first phase of the Covid vaccination drive in the country, the Delhi High Court on Thursday said that it sees no reason to change the priorities set by the Central government.
The government aims to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase, which includes three crore healthcare and frontline workers and 27 crore elderly people, mostly above the age of 50 years with comorbidities such as diabetes, heart or liver ailments.
"The government has its own priorities and we do not see any reason to change the priority for vaccination," said a bench comprising Chief Justice D.N.
Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said.
The bench, however, directed the Central government and the Unique Identification Authority of India to consider the petition filed by Amrender Singh, a practicing lawyer, as a representation.
The petition had stated that several advocates faced unprecedented times due to the outbreak of the pandemic and they are still dealing with the repercussions of the same.
The petition said that the government failed to include the legal fraternity in its first vaccination drive without having regard to the life, health and well-being of the judges, practicing advocates and other staff of the legal fraternity, it added.
On January 19, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) had written to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for including judges, judicial staff and members of the legal fraternity in the category of frontline workers and extend the benefits of the vaccination programme to them.
The nationwide vaccination drive had started on January 16 with the help of two vaccines -- Covaxin and Covishield.
Till now, nearly 45 lakh people have been vaccinated across the country.
--IANS
aka/arm.
Source: IANS
