The Bombay High Court, on Thursday, extended its orders allowing registered lawyers and clerks to travel in the suburban train services till December 1. The court said it would consider extending its orders further after Diwali. By then, the state is expected to allow more citizens to use locals.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni was, on Thursday, informed that the state has already allowed employees of various sectors to commute by suburban train services, but only during non-peak hours. "Employees of various sectors have now been allowed to travel by local trains during the non-peak hours. Further progress made during the next one month shall be reported on December 1," CJ Datta noted in his orders.
Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, for the state, further said that the government was working over further modalities to allow citizens to board trains and introduce a better ticketing system in place.
Accordingly, the bench said it won't interfere in the issue at least till December 1, when the state would have to submit a ‘status report’ on the progress made so far pertaining to the issue.
"It is, however, made clear that the earlier orders passed in September and October with regard to the production of certificate and issuance of passes for availing train services by lawyers requiring to attend physical hearings before the courts as well as registered clerks being required to file matters physically shall continue till the next date," the chief justice said in his orders.
