Bombay HC Rejects PIL Seeking Inclusion of Services Rendered by Lawyers in the Category of “Essential Services”

The Bombay High Court rejected the criminal writ petition filed by an advocate seeking declaration of services rendered by lawyers as essential service and thus exempt lawyers from restrictions imposed with regard to movement of traffic during lockdown. Division bench of Justice S.S. Shinde and Justice Madhav Jamdar concluded that it was within the exclusive domain of the state legislature to legislate on which services will be included in the list of ‘essential services’, keeping in view paramount interest of the community.