Allahabad HC Issues Guidelines For Functioning Of Courts In Three Zones During And After Lockdown

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday has issued detailed guidelines to be followed by all the courts subordinate to the High Court for their functioning during and after lockdown. The said guidelines are applicable with respect to the courts in the areas declared as Red, Green or Orange Zones.

The letter was addressed to all the District Court Judges by the Registrar General of theAllahabad High Court with subject to Mechanism/ modalities for functioning of Districts Courts covered under different zones during the period of Lockdown & thereafter.

Guidelines applicable to the district courts covered under Green Zone:-

1. Before opening of campus, District Judges will ensure complete sanitization, cleaning of entire court campus with the help of District Magistrate, another administrative officers & CMO/CMS. District Authorities will ensure Sanitization of Campus daily.
2. Thermal scanning check-up of all the persons entering in the court premises will also be ensured with the help of District Magistrate, otheradministrative officers & CMO/CMS.
3. The District Judge will, in consultation with the District Administration determine the threat level and the status in respect of Zone of the District, on daily basis. 
4. District Judges’ P.O.’s will ensure compliance of direction given by the Apex Court “High Court of Judicature at Allahabad’ in Judicial side and all directions/ guidelines issued by the Central Government & State Government regarding COVID-19.
5. If the District Judge observes that the number of urgent cases are such that the services of other Presiding Officers are required then matters may be assigned to Senior most ADJ, Magistrate/Civil Judge (SD)/Civil Judge (JD).
6. District Judge shall ensure minimal entry of Staff in Court Premises, which shall not be more than 33 % in any case.
7. Only such Court rooms be opened where the Learned Counsels will be addressing the Courts. Only 4 chairs will be arranged in courtroom for advocates with proper distance. Mask shall be used by everyone who enters the courtroom. Sanitizer shall be arranged at the door of courtroom. Reader, Clerk etc. shall follow Social Distancing guidelines.
8. The discussions shall be made with the Office bearer of Bar Association forthe mechanism/modalities regarding functioning of Courts. Necessary assistance may be taken from them to restrict/regulate the entry of Advocates and Litigants in the Court premises.
9. As soon as the arguments of Learned Counsels are complete, they shall leave the Court premises and the Presiding Officer shall not prevent appearance of the parties in the case unless suffering some illness, but, shall have the power to restrict entry of persons into the courtroom or the points from which arguments are addressed by the advocates.
10. In the other matters than indicated above, cases shall be adjourned by Presiding Officers and general dates be given.

Applicable for District Courtscovered under orange zone: –

1. Before opening of campus, District Judges shall ensure completesanitization, cleaning of entire court campus and shall ensure Thermal scanning check-up of all the persons entering in the court premises with the help of District Magistrate, other administrative officers & CMO/CMS.
2. District Authorities shall ensure Sanitization of Campus daily and the District Judge shall, in consultation with the District Administration determine the threat level and the status in respect of Zone of the District, on daily basis. 
3. District Judges/ P.O.’s shall ensure compliance of direction given by Hon’ble Apex Court High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in Judicial side and all directions/ guidelines issued by the Central Government & State Government regarding COVID-19.
4. If the District Judge observes that the number of urgent cases are such that the services of other Presiding Officers are required then matters may be assigned to Senior most ADJI Magistrate. 
5. District Judge Shall ensure minimal entry of Staff in Court Premises, which shall not be more than 10 %.
6. Virtual Court is presently available in each District and the Judicial Officer concerned shall be connected through jitsi (LAN) from his chamber/designated chamber (through the personal Laptop) to designated court room where Video Camera is installed.

Applicable for district courts covered under Red Zone.

1. The directions contained in letter no. PS(RG)/52/2020 dated May 2,2020 shall strictly apply to this zone.
2. Report may be sought from the District Judges (they shall consult the District Administration) as to whether, such modalities/scheme, as applicable for orange Zone can be adopted in their District Courts.
3. The Remand/Other Judicial Work in respect of under trial Prisoner shall be done throughvideo conference only.
4. In case of any technical issues, other modes can be adopted.

Lastly, it was said that above mentioned guidelines will be applicable from 8^th May, 2020 till further orders.

-India Legal Bureau