In light of overall improvement in the Covid-19 situation, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea filed in 2020, when the pandemic was at its peak all across the globe, seeking directions for taking immediate action to prevent overcrowding in all places, including the High Court and the local courts in the national capital. The plea come up for hearing almost after two years.
The Division Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi dismissed the petition filed by a practising Advocate for a direction to the Registrar General to take steps in scheduling court hearing through appointments or distributing the cause list in time slots to prevent overcrowding in court premises during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bench noted thus:
“The reliefs have become irrelevant in the present context of the situation of the pandemic. We are accordingly not inclined to entertain the present petition at this stage.”
The instant public interest litigation was filed by Advocate Aarti Manchanda stating that as the normal functioning of the Courts in Delhi commences at 10:00 am, litigants and lawyers reach the court premises around the same time resulting in crowding at various points such as gate pass windows, parking, entry points to court buildings as well as courtrooms.
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“No fair reason is given as to why all litigants are required to report the court at 10:00 am when sometimes their matters reach at 12:00 pm or afterwards”
-claimed the plea.
In light thereof, the petitioner asked the Court to arrange the cause list of cases in a manner that overcrowding in court premises could be avoided by dividing the list in time slots like listing of matters for miscellaneous purposes from 10:00-11:00 am, matters on admission from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and matters for final arguments from 2:00-4:00 pm. The petition also prayed for mentioning a particular time for each matter listed before the courts.
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“Due to the present global health crisis, it has been suggested to avoid crowded places, however, a lawyer and litigant being helpless, are required to come to court to appear in their matters. Thus, accommodating matters at a specific time on an appointment basis or division of the cause list in time slots is the need of the hour as this measure may help in attracting less crowd in the court premises at a point of time”
-the plea averred thus.