Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain has asked all Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals, Chief Judicial Magistrate courts and Chief Metropolitan Magistrate courts across the country to receive filing of complaint suits.
The Chief Justice took the decision after discussions with senior judges of the SC, said a notification
issued on Saturday by Md Ali Akbar, Registrar General of the Supreme Court.
The notification imposed conditions that the conducting tribunals and magistrate courts will receive the cases, maintaining physical distancing and strictly following health guidelines.
The tribunal judges and magistrates concerned will decide on the necessary action plans to maintain physical distancing in the courtrooms during the filings and examining the cases and complainants, in order to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The tribunals and magistrates will receive certain cases so that mass gathering cannot take place in the concerned courts during the proceedings. On completion of one case, the tribunals and magistrates can hear another case.
The circular said also a maximum of six people, including lawyers and accused, can stay in a courtroom during the hearing of a case, wearing face masks.
Earlier, the SC allowed all the magistrates to receive filings of cheque dishonour cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act-1881 through video conferencing.
In the meantime, the SC issued another circular which empowered the lower courts across the country to receive surrender petitions seeking bail of accused in criminal cases.
Earlier, the lower courts were allowed to hear and dispose of only bail petitions filed by the detained accused.
