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Courts Taking No Chances On Tackling Coronavirus

Taking a cue from the Supreme Court, High Courts across the country have issued advisories after, extensive consultations with all stake holders, including judges, members of the bar associations and others to, tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Delhi High Court Administrative and General Supervision Committee held a meeting on 13.03.2020 at 5:45 PM in the Larger Chamber of the Chief Justice. Apart from the Delhi High Court Chief Justice D N Patel, Justices. Hima Kohli, Vipin Sanghi, Siddharth Mridul, Manmohan, Rajiv Sahai Endlaw, J.R. Midha and I. S. Mehta  were present. Also present at the meeting were Manoj Jain, Registrar General, Mohit Mathur, President, DHCBA and Abhijat, Hony. Secretary, DHCBA.

It was decided in the meeting that functioning of Court from 16.03.2020 shall be restricted to urgent matters. The Court master shall give dates in routine matters before Court assembles. The Court would not insist on personal appearance of parties, unless indispensable. Proceedings of Delhi International Arbitration Centre, Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre, Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee would be held in emergent cases only.

Separate advisories were also issued to District Courts by High Court, with respect to measures to regulate entry of the litigants and the general public in the Court Complex to avoid crowding.

Advisories issued were that till the present situation persists, no adverse orders are to be passed in matters where parties are found to be absent, video conferencing facility to be used, oral arguments to be reduced to maximum extent and written submissions to be used, medical dispensaries have to be well equipped and all District and Sessions Judges have to ensure that hand sanitizers are available in their Districts.

The President and General Secretary of District Bar Associations have to issue directions to prevent crowd in Courts and Bar Members have to ensure that interns are not present in Court complex.

No function, election or other events are permitted in Court Complex and mediation can only take place in urgent matters.

The Orissa High Court has decided that only the lawyers who are going to act (along with the concerned litigant, if absolutely necessary) should attend the Court in connection with a case. Further, conducting lawyers and litigants (in the manner stated above) of not more than ten matters should enter the Court Room at a time. For safety purposes, it is also requested to avoid congregating outside the Courtrooms, as far as practicable. Mentioning of the matters will be made before the Deputy Registrar (Judicial) only having due regard to the aforesaid precautionary guidelines. Considering the importance of the safety measures for health, all concerned are requested to cooperate in this regard, in the interest of all, a circular said. .

 As part of the preventive measures taken up to control coronavirus, the Telangana High Court on Thursday ordered other courts not to insist on the presence of parties or accused produced from jails. The High Court came to this decision on March 5 to reduce the number of people coming in the court premises as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus.

The High Court further ordered the government to issues advisories to organisations holding Holi celebrations on a large-scale. It further ordered that the state “should also advise people to intermingle, interact and to gather as little as possible.”

Jammu and Kashmir High Court has launched awareness campaign in view of outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

During the campaign, information pamphlets, posters and related material was displayed at all the conspicuous places in the High Court as well as in all the District Courts of the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Besides, various guidelines and advisories issued by WHO, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and by Health and Medical Education Department J&K were widely conveyed. Through Digital Display Boards installed in the High Court as well as in District Courts, precautions regarding Corona virus are being displayed for public at large as part of awareness

Corona Virus has now become a global threat and  the World Health Organization has declared COVID 19 as a global pandemic and issued advisory against mass congregation. Countries and Organizations across the Globe are taking urgent measures to prevent spreading of the virus. The Central Government as well as the State Government have issued advisories cautioning against mass gathering, among others .

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