On A Plea Demanding Selling Of Books As Essential Services, Bombay HC Issues Notices To Centre And State Government
Mumbai, 3 August 2021: On a plea demanding that selling of books may be included in ‘essential services’ the Bombay High Court on Friday issued notices to the Central and State Government and sought their responses. The Bombay High Court comprises of Justice K.K.Tatad and Justice P. K. Chavan heard the case filed by Marathi Prakashak Parishad through Adv.Asim Sarode.
The petition said that during the Covid-19 Pandemic there is a shut down and it has adversely affected Marathi and other languages book publishing Authorities. Books provide for thoughts and reading books reduce stress. ‘Books’ are not in the list of essential services but the books are an integral part of right to education hence distributing and selling books becomes an important educational service, the petition stated . The Petitioner prayed that the Central Government may be directed to add ‘Sale of Books’ as an essential service as for Section 2(1)(a)(ix) of Essential Services Maintenance Act.
Adv. Asim Sarode representing the petitioner further mentions that without books experiencing right to life and freedom of expression, which includes quality of life will not attain its complete meaning and hence this petition is important. The Petition cites that in the USA online campaign called ‘#BooksAreEssential’ picked up not only amongst the readers but also across the world.
The Petitioner mentions that the State Government of Kerala has taken decision and recognized books as essential and selling books as essential service and the State of Maharashtra can follow the same process.
The plea highlighted that parents were not allowed to go to bookshops for purchasing books for their school going children and therefore they had to face difficulties.
