Yasmeen Manzoor
Srinagar April 15(KNB): A Petition was filed today in Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking Sustenance allowances to the lawyers practising in courts of J&K and Ladakh during the lockdown Pandemic of Covid-19.
The petitioners- Advocate Waseem Gul, Advocate Mudasir Sarwar and Advocate Asif Rashid through their counsel Advocate Mudasir Ahmad sought relief in the form of Sustenance allowances for advocates of JK & Ladakh. The petition was filed online by the lawyer.
Meanwhile talking to Kashmir News Bureau, Advocate Mudasir Ahmad said, ” Nationwide lockdown amid outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, not only poses a threat to the health of the society but has also adversely impacted economically all sectors while majority of advocates are also being severely affected as they cannot practice because of the countrywide closure of courts and restricting the hearings to only essential and urgent matters and Advocate Mudasir advocated for providing the Sustenance allowances to the practising Lawyers of the J&K and Ladakh”.
He further added, ” these steps have been taken in other states of Country like Orrisa, Delhi & Banglore and we sought relief of similar nature for advocates of J&K and Ladakh.”
Meanwhile, MHA issues fresh guidelines for states and Union Territories to follow during the extended lockdown till May 3 which include certain activities that will be permitted during lockdown after April 20.
The order read as, ” “The permitted activities from April 20, 2020 are aimed at ensuring that agricultural and related activities remain fully functional; the rural economy functions with maximum efficiency; employment opportunities are created for daily wage earners and other members of the labour force; select industrial activities are allowed to resume their operations, with adequate safeguards and mandatory standard operating protocols (SOPs); and the di vital economy.”
Moreover, the prohibited activities include, “travel by air, rail and road; operation of educational and training institutions; industrial and commercial activities; hospitality services; all cinema halls, shopping complexes, theatres, etc.; all social, political and other events; and opening of all religious places/ places of worship for members of public, including religious congregations.”(KNB)