Centre Vs Supreme Court On Prioritisation of Vaccination For Lawyers

Priority for lawyers' vaccination Supreme Court: "We don't know exactly how journalists go about their business but what we do know is that journalists' work can be done even without coming in contact with people unlike lawyers". Centre dismisses Supreme Court's request for priority for lawyers' vaccination, says even vegetable vendor's job is of coming in contact with customers.

The Supreme Court, on 18th March, Thursday, compared the job of journalists with the lawyers, claiming that the journalist's job does not require physical contact, unlike the lawyers. Hence, the vaccination of the lawyers is a priority as they need direct interaction with their clients.

The centre, however, dismissed the request of creating a separate class for the lawyers and said "though it is not opposed to the legal fraternity members tomorrow journalists and banking sector employees may also come forward seeking priority in vaccination".

A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian appeared to ask the centre for priority for lawyer's vaccination.

"I need to have instructions on this. I don't have anything against the lawyers. Even I am not vaccinated, as I don't fall in the criteria but a vegetable vendor whose livelihood also depends on coming in contact with other peoples, why should he not be given priority in vaccination" said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of the centre.

"If tomorrow journalists come forward that their livelihood also depends on coming into contact with other people and they are also a separate class and need to be vaccinated on priority. Then what should we do? We cannot create a separate class on the basis of profession?" Mehta further added.