The High Court of Kerala through an official Memorandum has directed the production of accused in the Magistrate Courts through electronic video linkage in order to contain the spread of COVID 19.
The Court has stated that incidents have been reported from several parts of the State where the accused after being produced before the Magistrates have turned out to be COVID 19 positive. Thereafter the Magistrates were forced to undergo self quarantine.
The Court further said that the Magistrates and the Court staff are becoming more and more vulnerable in view of the spread of COVID 19 Pandemic.
Hence, “the High Court has directed the State Police Chief to direct the police personnel to produce the accused before the Magistrates through electronic video linkage facility even where the production is for the first time.”
The Court has further clarified that the Magistrates and Special judges, before whom accused are produced after arrest either under a warrant or not may allow production of the accused through electronic linkage or appropriate Electronic medium using Desktop, laptop, Mobile or any such electronic linkage as may be available.
Recently, three magistrates and several other police officials have gone into quarantine in two districts after three remand prisoners had tested positive.
-India Legal Bureau