Lawyers Cannot Travel In Mumbai Local Trains Till End of July: Bombay High Court

It has been decided by the Bombay High Court that lawyers cannot travel by local trains at least until the end of July as the Maharashtra State COVID-19 Task Force has apprehended a third wave of the pandemic.

Public transport is currently limited to only the officials of the state government and public administration.

While hearing a petition filed by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa against the exclusion of lawyers from travelling in local trains in Mumbai, a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni ruled that, through a judicial order, the court cannot override the medical experts' opinion.

"At least till the end of July, it may not be possible (to allow lawyers to commute by trains). The State COVID Task Force feels that the third wave may start if trains are opened to all. You (lawyers) will have to wait for one more month," the court said.

It was noted by the bench that the task force officials had informed the bench in an administrative meeting that the COVID-19 situation was likely to improve only by the month of August. Hence the bench posted the matter on August 3 for further hearing.