HC seeks report on violence against media persons, bankers

SRINAGAR — Amid opposition by Ministry of Home Affairs to a Draft Bill to check violence against doctors and other healthcare professionals, J&K High Court has sought a report from Government of India whether complaints have been received from any other category of professionals including media persons, bankers, advocates, chartered accountants, etc that they were suffering violence and seeking enactment of a separate legislation.

Hearing a batch of Public Interest Litigations including one on its own motion, a division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal sought the report after Assistant Solicitor General of India Vishal Sharma submitted that MHA does not support the draft Legislation by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, titled “Health Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Act, 2019” to address the issue of assault on health care service personnel and clinical establishments.

Among the main reasons, he said, enacting a separate legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and other health care professional would give rise to similar demands from other categories of professionals like media persons, advocates, bankers, chartered accountants, etc.

“The State is duty bound to protect life and property of all its citizens including professionals like media persons, doctors, engineers, advocates, bankers, etc,” he said.

Following his submissions, the court said that it would be useful to have report from the Government of India regarding receipt of complaints from any category of professionals, other than the health care service personnel, including media persons, Bankers, Advocates, Chartered Accountants, etc making a grievance that they were suffering violence and seeking enactment of legislation on the same.

“A report in this regard shall be filed by Vishal Sharma, ASGI before us,” the court added.