[COVID-19] Madras HC Chief Justice AP Sahi Urges Advocates, Litigants Follow Social Distancing[Read Letter]

In the face of the mortal threat posed by Novel COVID-19, Chief Justice of Madras High Court, A.P. Sahi, in an open letter penned by himself, has urged advocates, litigants and other visitors to court premises to follow social distancing and refrain from congregating unnecessarily.

Acknowledging that the "virtues of a disciplined life, such as the art of resisting temptations, are hard to inculcate", and recognising the "desire to associate" as a temptation "basic to human life" and the "freedom of association" as a "hard won freedom", CJ Sahi has nevertheless pointed out how French philosopher Descartes has articulated that "the philosophy of life lies in understanding what to sustain and what to abstain from".

"With the unprecedented threat extended to human life" and "no positive medical remedy yet in sight", CJ Sahi endeavours to convey how we cannot stress enough the old adage of "prevention is better than cure". He expresses the need to "avoid contact and close association", stating that "we can help ourselves and others by maintaining distance, however paradoxical it may seem to us" and that "all over the world, these measures have been found to be an immediate indispensable to save lives".

he goes on to say that while social distancing may seem "onerous", the "severity of the situation calls for stringency", and that it is not "to quit life or to stop living", but to "secure our lives as well that of others".

"We have to move sparingly and with complete moderation" as "every life counts and no life is expendable", he reiterates, adding that it is a "social compulsion" that we reply on "our sense of proportion and reason" in "drastically slowing down our movements particularly within court premises".

"We have to stand together as this duty and responsibility is not only governmental but also social, and mostly individual", he signs off.

Picture Courtesy: The News Minute

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[Read Letter]