COVID-19: J-K HC restricts work till March 31

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], Mar 24 (ANI): In an effort to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday decided to restrict its functioning and to take up only cases of 'urgent matters' via video conferencing till March 31.
As per the court's directive in case of urgent matters, parties or counsel shall inform the opposite parties or counsel to send urgency memo through e-mail to the concerned registrar Judicial by 3 pm of the previous day of the date on which the matter is listed and upon satisfaction about the urgency.

"On the date and time fixed, the case shall be heard through video conferencing. In the event, if video conferencing is not available in case of exceptional urgency, remote hearing of the cases may be conducted using video call facility," the court said.

It states that the advocates and litigants shall telephonically mention their matters by providing the title, number and stage of the matters.

The filing counter of both wings of the High Court will remain closed for all ordinary matters. They shall not accept any ordinary filing of suits, appeals, petitions or applications till further orders.

In order to de-congest the sections, rooms of the registry and on account of suspension of public transport by the government coupled with the imposition of certain other restrictions, the officials working in the registry, will be permitted to function in batches of minimal staff on rotation basis till March 31.

Furthermore, the Jammu and Kashmir State Judicial Academy will suspend all its training programmes till the said time. The court asked the concerned authorities to ensure sanitisation of the complexes and availability of sanitisers in its rooms and thermal screening of the visitors.
The presiding officers and the official working in the courts will be permitted to function in batches of minimal strength on rotation basis till March 31.

Moreover, the canteens, lawyers' chambers and the bar rooms will not remain operational till further orders. (ANI)