PIL seeking Covid vax shot to advocates in first phase dismissed

Hyderabad: The division bench on Monday comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Abhishek Reddy refused to direct the Telangana State government to give priority to the advocate community in the State during the Covid vaccination drive on the ground that this issue was in the purview of the Central government.

The bench was hearing a suo moto public interest litigation converting the letter of advocate Ponnam Ashok Goud, who wrote to the High Court seeking its intervention and directing the State government to give priority to the advocates and judicial staff of the Telangana High Court in administering Covid vaccine as they were more prone to coronavirus in view of the arduous duties performed by them.

Upon the direction of Chief Justice as to what was the stand of the State government on this issue, Advocate General Banda Shivananda Prasad informed the court that the Central government takes a decision in this issue and the State has no role to play. As per the norms of the Central government, in the first phase, vaccine will be administered to health workers, to frontline workers in the second phase, followed by persons above the age of 50 years and suffering from comorbidities in the third phase. He said the State has no role in this issue.

The court recorded the submissions of the Advocate General and dismissed the PIL.