COVID-19 hits court work

• Work in all courts including SC to be restricted to urgent and essential matters this week
• Open court hearing to be rescheduled for dates after April first week 
• Courts asked to consider favourably results for adjournment and not pass adverse/default orders due to absence of parties/witnesses
• MCs asked to address bail applications through electronic means such as video conferencing/Skype
• JSC says unnecessary crowding in court cells should be curtailed by taking appropriate steps in consultation with prison authorities

Work in all courts will be restricted this week to essential and urgent matters, the Supreme Court (SC) and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) announced yesterday. In the Supreme Court, matters fixed for mention which are to be taken up in open court from 17 to 20 March will be rescheduled and the new dates will be notified during the first week of April, the Registrar of the Supreme Court said.

Hearings in the SC will be restricted to urgent and essential matters based on the applications of the parties concerned while the entrance to the SC will also be restricted with litigants only permitted to enter the court if the Counsel requires their presence.

The SC measures will apply to the Court of Appeal too. 

The Judicial Services Commission Secretariat in a notice said that in respect of Commercial High Courts, Civil Appellate High Courts and District Courts, calling cases should not be taken up in open court and the rescheduled dates of the cases be notified by publication of a notice in the respective courts during the first week of April.

All the other hearings in the courts are to be restricted to urgent and essential matters only, based on the application and by the parties and/or Attorneys-at-Law.

The attorneys were also requested to advice their clients not to visit the court houses unless their presence is directed by the court or is essential.

In respect of High Courts and Magistrate’s Courts, they too were advised not take up calling cases in open court and inform of the rescheduled dates by publication of a notice in the respective courts during the first week of April.

The JSC said Magistrates are at liberty not to entertain new plaints within this period and were requested to coordinate this aspect with the respective Police stations while restricting all other hearings to urgent and essential matters only.

“Wherever possible granting of bail or extension of bail period of suspects/accused in custody are to be done through electronic means such as video conferencing/Skype etc. and as far possible to consider favourably request for exemption from personal appearance of suspects/accused,” the JSC said.

The JSC informed that during the period 17 to 20 March, the courts should not pass adverse/defaults orders in matters where parties/witnesses are absent while requests from parties/attorneys/witnesses for adjournments be considered favourably.

“Unnecessary crowding in the court cells should be curtailed by taking appropriate steps in consultation with the prison authorities,” the JSC said.