The Bombay High Court while hearing PILs (public interest litigation) cited the Wimbledon finals while urging to increase the pace of COVID-19 vaccination. While all eyes may have been on Novak Djokovic at the Men's Singles final at Wimbledon on Sunday as he won yet another grand slam title, but for the Bombay High Court, the real sight to behold was a stadium full of spectators without masks.
Wondering when India would see the return of this level of normalcy, the court noted that "vaccinating everyone" was the key to it.
"The Wimbledon finals was the sight of the year. We don't know if you saw it, but not a single person was wearing a mask," Justice GS Kulkarni told Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni.
"The stadium was jam-packed and nobody but one lone woman was wearing a mask. One Indian cricketer was also present and he was without a mask too," Justice Kulkarni said.
"When will India see such a situation? Vaccinating everyone is the key to it," Justice Kulkarni said.
A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni was hearing PILs (public interest litigation) on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Maharashtra and the state government's preparedness to face a possible third wave.
A third wave of the pandemic has reportedly arrived in some states, the HC said.
“There are reports saying a third wave has set in two states in the North-East. We have to take measures. We are in a much more comfortable situation compared to earlier. We do not want any lowering of guard from here,” Chief Justice Datta told the state government counsel, advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni.
They have read news reports about active cases of the delta-plus variant of coronavirus being detected in Maharashtra, and the state must act to prevent the spread of infection, the judges said. The Bombay High Court will hear the PILs next after three weeks.
(With inputs from PTI)
