High Court issues guidelines
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 02 2020: In view of COVID-19 pandemic, the High Court of Manipur has issued fresh guidelines today.

The Court notified that the regular Court sitting for both the High Court and District Courts/Tribunals shall remain suspended till June 17 .

1) All Courts in Manipur will work upto 1 pm during this period.

As far as practicable, Court proceedings shall be done through video conferencing.

However, in case video conferencing is not possible due to any reason, physical Court may be conducted by maintaining strict COVID-19 protocol and social distancing.

Video conferencing app "Jitsi Meet" will be used.

2) For the High Court, filing of fresh matters will be accepted through email only and hard copy may be submitted to the registry later on.

As far as practicable, cases received upto 1 pm will be listed on the next working day.

For filing of other matters/application/ documents and hearing thereof, permission of the senior most Judge shall be required.

Fresh cases and applications may be submitted to e-mail ID: [email protected].

For the District Courts/Tribunals, hard copy fling will be accepted along with soft copy.

3) All motion matters will be listed before the High Court and the District Courts/Tribunals and will be distributed equally amongst the Judges for the High Court and Judges of the District Courts/Tribunals.

For urgent pending cases, the same may be taken up with the permission of available senior most Judge/Presiding Officer.

4) In case any of the Advocates are required to enter Court complexes for any purpose, they should maintain strict social distancing and other COVID-19 protocol.

No litigants and other officials will be permitted to enter Court premises without prior permission of the Court.

5) District Courts/Tribunals may take up pending cases which are specially directed and time bound trials subject to strict adherence to COVID-19 protocol.

6) District Judges and Presiding Officers may work out modalities for proper functioning of their respective Courts in consultation with Bar and other stakeholders.

7) Wearing of mask is compulsory in all Court complexes of Manipur at all time with maintenance and adherence to strict COVED-19 protocol.

8) From the period from 03.06.2020 to 17.06.2020, lawyers can attend Court and Court related works without curfew pass between 5 am to 2 pm.

However, they should be in Advocate's uniform and hold valid identity card issued by the Bar Council of Manipur/Bar Association.

In view of imposition of curfew in Imphal city and District HQs, lawyers are permitted to use curfew pass in relation to their chamber works from 2 pm to 5 pm .

9) Advocates who are attending remand proceedings may go to the concerned Court or Judge's residence provided they are in Advocate's uniform and on production of valid identity card issued by the Bar Council of Manipur/Bar Association.

On request by the security personnel, they shall give details such as name of the Judge/Court before whom the accused is to be produced, the nature of offence, name of the accused and etc.

10) Normal training programmes of Manipur Judicial Academy which require physical attendance, shall remain suspended till 17.06.2020.However, online training programmes shall be continued during lockdown period.

11) Normal programmes of Manipur State Legal Services Authority shall be suspended during this period except urgent legal aid matters and functioning of 'Front Offices' of legal services authorities.

12) The matters which are already fixed up to 17.06.2020 be adjourned en-bloc to subsequent dates and information in this regards be uploaded on the website of the District Court and pasted on notice board.

13) The interim orders granted earlier by the High Court and the District Courts/Tribunals for a specified date shall be extended till next date of effective hearing.

14) Similar arrangements shall be made by all the respective Juvenile Justice Boards of the districts.

15) In view of suspension of regular Court work till 17.06.2020, limitation for any Court proceeding shall not run with effect from 15.03.2020 until further order.

16) Attendance of employees in the High Court and the District Courts/Tribunals shall be as per roster issued by the Registrar General and the concerned District Judges/Presiding Officers respectively.

However, the officers and staff of the High Court and District Courts/Tribunals shall make themselves available as and when required.

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