Bombay HC says can't allow local train travel for lawyers till July-end for fear of third wave

Bombay High Court has made it clear on Saturday that it cannot allow lawyers to travel by suburban trains at least till the end of July as the Maharashtra State COVID-19 Task Force apprehends a third wave of the pandemic. 

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice GS Kulkarni observed that the court cannot override the opinion of medical experts by judicial order.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa against the exclusion of lawyers from traveling in local suburban trains in Mumbai.

At present, only state government and public administration officials are allowed to travel by public transport. The next hearing by the court on the matter has been fixed for August 3.

The bench said that in its administrative meeting with the Task Force officials, the judges were informed that the present COVID-19 situation is likely to improve only by the month of August.

Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray had last month said that the decision to resume local train services for the general public will be taken only after consultation with members of the state task force.

However, he added that the experts have warned about the third wave of COVID-19 and further easing out of curbs will be allowed in phases.