Delhi Higher Judicial Service Main Exam 2019: Plea in HC to postpone exam

A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking to postpone Delhi Higher Judicial Service Main Examination-2019, scheduled for March 13-14, till the COVID-19 vaccination drive is complete for lawyers.

The petition is filed by Ravi Shekhar Mangal Murti, one of the candidates going to appear for the examination, who submitted that the petitioner is suffering from severe medical conditions, leaving him at risk of serious and life-threatening complications if he contracts coronavirus, a press release stated.

The plea is likely to come up for a hearing on Tuesday.

The petition was filed through advocates Aditya Kapoor, Kushal Kumar, Harsh Ahuja, and Akash Deep Gupta, who sought to quash of February 18 notification issued by the Delhi High Court notifying the schedule of the examinations on March 13 and 14.

The petitioner said he is a meritorious and middle-aged person who is suffering from severe health problems of cancer and had undergone radiation therapy with administration of chemotherapy doses and is currently having an extremely weak immunity. He said he is at a higher risk of severe complications from contracting coronavirus, the press release stated.

The plea claimed that the notice is violative of the fundamental rights by forcing the candidates, like the petitioner, to risk their health and safety in the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, a division bench of Delhi High Court has transferred the hearing on the postponement of the exam to another division bench headed by Chief Justice DN Patel after taking note of the submission of petitioner's lawyer Vineet Malhotra that the petition was in nature of public interest litigation. Wherein the Court listed the further hearing on March 12.

"The result of the preliminary examinations was declared on February 13 last year, wherein 280 candidates were shortlisted to appear for the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Main Examination (Written)-2019. The main exams were postponed in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and fresh dates were to be announced later," the press release stated.

"The mains examination is to be attended by various candidates who have to travel from across the country and the availability of lodging and transportation is also uncertain. Even otherwise if the same is available then also the possibility of contracting COVID-19 cannot be ruled out," it added.

It also submitted that many candidates would be visiting Delhi from other states for the sole purpose of attending the exams including Punjab. Such candidates may travel to Delhi through different modes of public transports which may also expose them to coronavirus and consequently expose the other candidates including the Petitioner to the risks.

(ANI)