Punjab and Haryana high court cancels summer vacations

This year, vacations were scheduled between June 1 and June 26 in the high court and June 1 and June 30 in subordinate courts

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday announced cancellation of summer vacations scheduled in June in the high court and trial courts in both the states and Chandigarh.

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This year, vacations were scheduled between June 1 and June 26 in the high court and June 1 and June 30 in subordinate courts. The decision has been taken in view of the courts taking up only ‘urgent cases’ since March due to Covid-19 outbreak.

The high court is functioning in a restricted manner since March 16. The trial courts too are taking up urgent cases only since March. Most of the pending cases are being adjourned and only those pending cases are being taken up, where an application is filed citing some urgency.

In the high court, a dozen-odd benches are taking up ‘urgent matters’ through video conference. Against the normal listing of around 2,500 to 3,000 cases on any given day, the high court is hearing 200 odd-cases these days.

“The court will function with the continuation of present arrangement of filing, listing and hearing of the cases through video conferencing,” an official said.

Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA) welcomed the decision. “Our demand is that the high court should do away with prior mentioning of cases before listing of fresh cases,” Bar secretary Rohit Sud said.