Lockdown- "Any Advocate Practicing Anywhere In the State May Apply For Passes To Visit Office": Madhya Pradesh High Court

Modifying its earlier order, the Madhya Pradesh High Court today directed that any practicing advocate located anywhere in any district headquarters of the State may apply for passes for visiting office from the residence and vice versa, during the ongoing lockdown/Corona curfew.

Movement Of Lawyers, Their Staff During Lockdown- "They May Apply For Passes Through Bar Associations": State Tells MP High Court

In its earlier order, the Bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Atul Sreedharan had only directed the District Magistrates of Jabalpur, Indore, and Gwalior to issue passes to the advocates (when application made through the bar associations), their juniors, and advocate's clerks to enable them to attend their offices during the ongoing lockdown/Corona curfew.

However, now, the Court has allowed every practicing advocate located anywhere in any district headquarters of the State to apply for passes for himself/herself or his/her associate/junior advocates or his/her clerks, and it shall be considered by the competent Authority in accordance with the law.

The Court ordered thus while hearing an application filed by an Advocate Ajay Gupta, contending that the respondents/State authorities may be required to consider the applications of the advocates who are practicing lawyers at Bhopal, their associate advocates, and their clerks to issue them passes to visit their office as they are required to appear not only before the High Court but also before different Courts and Tribunals located at Bhopal city, by virtual mode.

Reliance was placed on the MP High Court's order dated 3rd May 2021 in W.P. No.9185/2021 (Sunil Gupta Vs. State of M.P. and others).

Further, Deputy Advocate General submitted that the Court, in the case of Sunil Gupta, had required the advocate(s) to apply through the respective Bar Associations at Jabalpur, Indore and Gwalior because the said petition was filed for the benefit of the advocates practicing in the High Court at these places.

As regards the other advocates, he further argued, liberty may be given to them to directly make an application to the District Magistrate concerned or any other authorized officer, along with ID proof for the purpose.

Importantly, it was submitted by him that any such application for grant of passes to the advocates, their junior advocates and advocate's clerks shall be considered in accordance with the law.

Noting thus, the Court issued the aforesaid order the application was disposed of.

Case title - Siddharth Singh v. The State of Rajasthan and others

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