Punjab district courts switch to virtual mode, impose other restrictions

Chandigarh, January 5

Amid an uptick in Covid-19 infections, the district courts across Punjab and Chandigarh have largely shifted to the virtual mode of hearing, while imposing other restrictions.

The office of Patiala District and Sessions Judge Rajinder Aggarwal has emphasised hearing cases through videoconferencing. Physical hearing will be allowed only in a limited category of cases.

Curbs on entry

• Ludhiana District and Sessions Judge Munish Singal has ordered the hearing of all pending cases through videoconferencing till January 15
• Litigants will be allowed to enter the complex only with downloaded copy of a court order requiring their personal appearance
• In case of urgency, the lawyer can move application at official website for physical hearing

Only fully vaccinated people would be allowed to enter the court complex. Action would be initiated against those roaming without masks. Individuals carrying certificates issued by their counsels regarding their “required presence” would be allowed to enter. “The court should not insist on personal appearance of the complainants in routine cases, rather the personal appearance of the complainant should be insisted upon if he is supposed to make statement before the court,” it said.

The readers have also been directed to furnish list of witnesses supposed to appear in the court before the date.

Amritsar District and Sessions Judge Harpreet Kaur also came out with a new roster for all judicial officers in the district courts and sub-divisional courts at Ajnala and Baba Bakala. Only 50 per cent of the judges would be available for physical hearing, while the remaining would work from home. Most of the cases would be adjourned to suitable dates. Urgent matters, to be heard by judicial officer working from home, would be taken up the next day. The judicial officers have also been asked to depute 50 per cent staff to ensure smooth working.

Issuing directions to ensure safety of judicial officials, lawyers, staff and litigants, Jalandhar District and Sessions Judge Rupinderjit Chahal specified 18 types of case to be taken during restrictive functioning. These include bail applications, protection petitions, custody cases, excise, gambling, stay matters, time-bound civil and criminal cases. The filing of fresh cases would be permitted from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm. To prevent overcrowding, videoconferencing mode would be preferred wherever possible, especially for the undertrials. The courts have also been advised to summon limited number of witnesses. It has also been suggested that just one lawyer should appear for a particular case. The staff has been directed to accept the bail bonds and ‘sapurdi’ papers till 3 pm only. The courts in Muktsar would function through both physical and virtual modes. — TNS