Allahabad HC Issues Guidelines For Normal Functioning Of Courts From June 8

The Allahabad High Court has issued guidelines and arrangements pertaining to re-opening of High Court, Allahabad and Lucknow bench from June, 8.

“It was decided to permit the physical filing of new cases before the High Court at Allahabad as well as Lucknow on all the working days from 03.06.2020 and in partial modification of direction / guidelines issued on 13.03.2020, 16.03.2020, 10.04.2020 and22.05.2020 it is further stated by the High Court that the High Court will function as usual w.e.f. 08.06.2020. Till further orders, only the special Benches constituted shall remain operational and the Judges and their supporting staff (Private Secretary, Bench Secretary, Peon etc.) in minimum required number will attend the High Court,” said in the Guidelines.

The Court further mentioned in the guidelines that the sections of the Court will be opened as per the instructions issued by the Registrar General from time to time. Whereas, the Learned Advocates will file their Cases / Documents / Petitions / Applications in the Stamp Reporting Section and the Application Section which will function at the places separately notified for Allahabad and Lucknow and only those listed matters will be listed in Courts, for which urgency applications filed through e-mode are allowed by the Hon’ble Court. Such matters shall be listed only in Additional Cause List.

Below mentioned points are included in the guidelines; –

1. The Stamp Reporting Section, till further order will not withhold any fresh file due to any defect and will place that before the Hon’ble Court concerned for appropriate orders
2. The files will be sent from the sections to the Hon’ble Courts after proper sanitization.
3. The Learned Advocates will enter in the High Court through the gate separately notified for Allahabad and Lucknow campus.
4. Only those Learned Advocates will be granted entry in the High Court through E-Pass whose case(s) are to be taken by the Hon’ble Court(s).
5. The Learned Advocates aged 65 years or more may appear and argue the cases through video-conferencing as they would not be allowed to enter in the High Court as per the applicable protocol for lock-down.
6. The Chambers of Learned Advocates in the High Court Premises will not be opened. The sitting arrangement for Advocates shall be notified separately.
7. The Robes prescribed for the Hon’ble Judges and the Learned Lawyers shall remain suspended till further orders.
8. The Learned Advocates appearing in the Court must wear face cover / mask and shall adhere to all necessary conditions prescribed for social and physical distancing.
9. Not more than 6 (six) Advocates will be permitted to remain in the court room at any given time.
10. The Learned Advocates shall leave the High Court immediately after hearing of their case(s).
11. The Learned Advocates residing in hot spot areas / containment zones shall not be allowed to enter in the Court campus and no document from them except through e-mode shall be accepted.
12. No person shall be allowed to enter in the High Court campus without observing all protocol necessary to maintain social and physicaI distancing.
13. Consumption of liquor, ‘paan’, ‘gutka’, tobacco inside the premises of the High Court will be prohibited and consumption of the same will attract punishment.
14. Spitting in the premises of the High Court is prohibited and will attract punishment.
15. Provision for thermal scanning, handwash and sanitizer will be made available at operational entry, exit points and in common area.
16. The Chief Medical & Health Officer, Prayagraj and Lucknow respectively shall arrange all necessary medical assistance and attendance in the High Court campus at Allahabad and Lucknow to meet any urgent medical eventuality.
17. Frequent sanitization of the premises of the High Court, common facilities and all points which come into human contact viz. doorknobs, chairs, tables etc, will be ensured.
18. No shops near the High Court shall be permitted to open and operate.
19. Parking of vehicles to be made as per existing arrangement i.e. outside the premises of the High Court but with proper social distancing measures.
20. All the guidelines issued by the Central Government and the Government of Uttar Pradesh regarding COVID-19 must be followed.

In the section of arrangements pertaining to re-opening of High Court, Allahabad and Lucknow bench from June, 8, it was mentioned that

1. At least 05 (five) Counters will function outside the premises of the High Court to charge Court Fee through e-mode. The work-flow for e-Filing along with the screen shots is already available on the official website of Allahabad High Court namely www.allahabad highcourt.in and the same may be accessed by the Advocates who are facing problem in this regard.
2. The facility of hearing cases through video conferencing shall be provided on asking by the Advocate and if any party desires to appear in person then the only mode would be through video conferencing.
3. The Staff of the High Court will enter through Gate No. 3-8.
4. The Advocates and the Staff will not be permitted to roam in the Hon’ble Judges’ Corridor / Gallery (Ground Floor and First Floor).
5. The Chambers and the Canteens of the Advocates and the Employees’ Canteen situated in the High Court Premises will remain closed.

Read the Guidelines here;

-India Legal Bureau