'Can't Turn a Nelson's Eye to Contribution of Journalists During the Pandemic' – PIL in Bombay High Court Seeks Local Train Travel of Journalists

The plea filed through Advocate Sudha Dwivedi states that journalists have already been declared as front line workers in twelve states and Maharashtra Government's inaction in doing the same suffers from the doctrine of reasonableness.

'There cannot be instant justice, but there cannot be constant delays either,' the plea says, quoting Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu.

The petition states that citizens under lockdown became more reliant on journalists and news media for accurate information during the pandemic. This would include disseminating information on the Government's policies on travel, vaccination, medical supplies etc.

"Suffice to say that the common man was made aware about the laws of the land, be it in the form of legislative or in the form of judicial, relatively because of the journalists doing their jobs the way they were supposed to, i.e. in a noble manner."

Urging the Court to note the key role journalists have played in the pandemic thus far, the association states it as necessary for them to be treated as front line workers. The petition highlights the fact that several journalists come from modest backgrounds and live in Mumbai's suburbs.

"It isn't unknown to any man living in Mumbai that the most affordable mode of transport for its residents is the suburban train, better known as the Mumbai Local."

Due to Mumbai's linear character, the suburban train services play a vital role in facilitating the north-south movement of the city's workforce, enabling inter-district travel, the plea states. It adds as 'saddening' that a decision is still not taken on local train travel of journalists despite a representation to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in May, 2021.

"Without even thinking of diminishing the importance of the frontline workers, such as health-care, police, clean-up related personnel amongst others, the journalists and media in general, have played equally important role to which one may not turn Nelson's eye. This must be the reason as to why, to the best of the petitioner's knowledge, 12 States so far have already declared journalists as 'frontline workers'," the petition states.

The petitoner, therefore, prayed that the Hon'ble Court may be pleased to direct the Respondents to 'allow the journalists and other staff in the media industry, especially in the City of Mumbai, to avail the suburban train services', more popularly called the Mumbai Local Train services.

Case Title: Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh v. State of Maharashtra