The Five Senior Advocates are Janak Dwakadas, Rajani Iyer, Anil Antukar, Mihir Desai and Gayatri Singh.
Five Senior Advocates, Janak Dwakadas, Rajani Iyer, Anil Antukar, Mihir Desai and Gayatri Singh have written to the Bombay High Court, requesting that an accessible justice system be set up, particularly for poor and marginalized, during the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Stating that 21-day lockdown would increase the hardships of the underprivileged which would result in them approaching various authorities for grievances, the letter reads,
It is asserted that a delay in setting up an accessible justice system reduces the chances of the poor and the marginalized to obtain sustainable and requisite orders and reliefs against the State so as to gain access to life saving civic amenities.
In light of such unprecedented and exceptional circumstances, the Senior Advocates have made the following requests:
- Modalities of affirming petitions be modified to dispense with the personal presence of the petitioner to sign and affirm the Petition, particularly in PILs on appropriate undertakings.
- The modalities of filing Petitions be modified to allow for e-filings.
- The hearing of the petitions be undertaken regularly, through video-conferencing for the safety and protection of all associated with the exercise.
- Grievances of poor and marginalized be given priority and with senstivity for effective redressal.
Read the Letter:
