Vaccination of judicial staff, advocates, judges as frontline workers: Matter adjourned sine die in Delhi HC

New Delhi [India], March 19 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday adjourned sine die the matter of vaccination of judicial staff, advocates and judges as frontline workers after the concerned counsel informed the court that "the Supreme Court on Thursday has stayed the proceedings before Delhi High Court in a suo motu matter relating to giving lawyers priority in Covid-19 vaccination."
The Centre Government through its counsel Anil Soni has also apprised Delhi High Court that vaccination drive has already been started in seven district courts of Delhi as per the parameters set by the Government.
Earlier, Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII), the country's leading COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, had submitted to the Delhi High Court that adequate capacity of vaccines was available for the vaccination of judicial staff, advocates and judges as frontline workers.
The Delhi High Court had initiated the suo moto petition regarding the inclusion of judicial staff, advocates and judges as frontline workers, therefore making them eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Bharat Biotech and SII through their advocates, submitted that adequate capacity of vaccines was available, subject to the orders from the Centre as there is a protocol in place.
The matter is heard by a division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli.
In Delhi, all the District Courts and the Delhi High Court have already resumed full-fledged physical functioning from March 15.
India is currently in the midst of the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, whose scope has been widened to include people above age 60, and those who are 45 or more and suffering from certain medical conditions.