HC likely to function restrictedly from Monday

Kolkata: Considering that the judicial functioning cannot remain suspended indefinitely, the Calcutta High Court may function regularly "on a restricted scale" from Monday till the COVID-19 situation subsides.

It has been stated in an order passed by the Chief Justice of the High Court TBN Radhakrishnan on Thursday that "a balance has to be struck between access to justice and the precautions to be taken for the pandemic.

The judicial functioning of the High Court cannot be suspended indefinitely, but the court may function regularly on a restricted scale till normalcy returns and the present spread of the pandemic subsides". The order was passed upon consideration of the recommendations of the Covid Committee of the High Court.

The order has further advised lawyers to file "only extremely urgent matters that cannot wait" for the period up to August 15. Though the Court will function from the main building, lawyers, litigants and staff of lawyers were advised to refrain from coming to court unless unavoidable as hearings will be taken up only on the video platform except in case of indigent litigants appearing in person or in case lawyers do not have access to necessary technology.

Bail and anticipatory bail matters may be filed electronically following all the set

norms. While all other filings can be done physically at the

ground floor of the main building.

Apart from the Chief Justice's Bench, two Division Benches will sit on every working day (except the lockdown days) from 11 am to 1 pm and take up concurrently all matters to be heard by a Division Bench except PIL matters.

Odd-numbered matters will be placed before the first Division Bench and even-numbered ones before the other.

No mentioning will be permitted in physical form and an email has to be sent to get permission for video mentioning and no mentioning will be allowed for inclusion of any matter.

Filing of a fresh matter or communication for correction of any order of the Principal Bench can be sent to [email protected] and in case of the Circuit Benches at Port Blair and Jalpaiguri it has to be sent at [email protected] on working days till 3 p.m.