Delhi Bar Association seeks CM Kejriwal & police nod for lawyers' commute amid lockdown

Amid the nationwide lockdown which has been extended to May 3, the Delhi Bar Association has urged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava to allow advocates to commute from their residence to offices after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued new guidelines for the extended lockdown.

The lawyer's association in a letter to the chief minister and the police commissioner sought permission to allow advocates to commute from their residence to office while strictly following the prescribed norms of social distancing.

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"Issue necessary and appropriate instructions to the police force and other concerned authorities under your command, to permit advocates to commute from their residences to offices/chambers on verification of their l-cards," the association said in the letter.

"As such, the office/chamber activities of advocates are covered under the relaxed guidelines and the same ought to be permitted while observing social distancing norms," it added.

"This list clearly is only illustrative and not exhaustive. The intention of the notification and relaxations is to permit all the self-employed persons to resume activities, provided the norms of Social Distancing are strictly followed," it said.

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COVID-19 impact in Delhi

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Wednesday increased to nearly 1580, with 17 fresh cases and two deaths being reported in a day, according to the Delhi government authorities.

Of the total cases, 1080 are of those who have been brought to facilities through special operations, they said. Government authorities had last month carried out measures to quarantine people who were connected with the large religious congregation that took place in the Nizamuddin area in March. By Tuesday night, the number of cases of the deadly virus in the city stood at 1561 including 30 deaths. With two more fatalities reported, the death toll from COVID-19 in Delhi has jumped to 32.

Out of the total 1578 cases, 40 have been discharged and one has migrated out of the country, authorities said.  Meanwhile, sources said, an assistance ambulance officer of the CATS ambulance service "tested positive" for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The number of containment zones in Delhi on Wednesday stood at 56.

(With inputs from agencies)