From today, HC to work for 2 hrs, lower courts for 3 hrs a day

Starting today, the Bombay high court (HC) will work for only two hours a day and lower courts across Maharashtra will work a maximum of three hours a day. From

Starting today, the Bombay high court (HC) will work for only two hours a day and lower courts across Maharashtra will work a maximum of three hours a day. From Tuesday, these courts will also reduce the attendance of staff to 50%.

HT Image

The arrangement, according to an order issued by the HC on Monday, was made in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak and will continue till further orders.

The high court at its principal seat at Mumbai and its benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Goa, will take up only urgent judicial work from 12pm (noon) to 2pm. To decongest courts and avoid unnecessary contact, the HC on Monday also decided to keep its registry working for only four hours a day, from 11.30am to 3.30pm. Additionally, it has directed the lower courts to take up only urgent matters for adjudication and to not keep its offices open for more than four hours a day.

The HC has also instructed bar associations not to keep their offices open beyond the restricted court working hours.

Litigants, lawyers not to be penalised for failing to attend court

The HC last week issued a circular declaring that interim orders granted earlier will continue to operate in case the matters are not taken up on scheduled dates on account of the restricted functioning of the court. It added that no adverse or default orders will be passed in matters where parties are found to be absent.

Advocate Umesh Mohite said the circular discourages litigants and lawyers from going to courts unless it is very urgent or if the court has sought the presence of either of them. Mohite said the circular was common for all courts and stressed on the need for lawyers to advise their clients not to visit the courts unless directed by the court or is unavoidable.

Those seeking an adjournment will also be accommodated, and in criminal matters, requests for exemption from personal appearance of the accused will be considered favourably.

The advisory has advocated the use of video conferencing facilities to record evidence and has also directed lower courts to avail the facility for under-trial prisoners rather than seeking their physical production.

Senior advocate Birendra Saraf of Bombay Bar Association said that the association had, in a meeting, resolved and suggested some of the precautionary measures that have been included in the advisory.