Staff Reporter :
All the courts across the country and the Appellate and High Court divisions of the Supreme Court have returned to the judicial activities again as the lockdown restrictions imposed to prevent coronavirus infections have been relaxed.
Both the divisions of the higher judiciary will function through only virtual process, while the subordinate courts will act in both processes, physically and virtually. The Supreme Court authorities on Wednesday have issued several notifications in this regard.
Regular judicial proceedings will be conducted in all subordinate civil and criminal courts and tribunals of the country, said one of the notifications issued by Md Ali Akbar, Registrar General of the Supreme Court.
The judges will conduct all types of judicial proceedings of civil and criminal cases in physical presence or in virtual presence using information technology. However, the judges will complete the testimony in physical presence following the necessary protective measures, also read the notification.
In addition, the District and Sessions Judges/Metropolitan Sessions Judges and the Chief Judicial Magistrates/Chief Metropolitan Magistrates will take necessary steps in consultation with the President and General Secretary of the concerned District Bar Associations to ensure that social and physical distances are maintained and protective measures are taken, read the notification.
The subordinate courts’ judges can seek the direction of the Supreme Court if there is any problem in complying with this order, said the notification.
Meanwhile, the concerned High Court benches will also hear civil cases, criminal cases, appeal petitions, revision petitions and other cases through virtual system, said another notification issued by Md Ali Akbar.
The chief justice on Monday constituted 53 High Court division benches to conduct cases through only virtual process from August 11, said another notification issued on the Supreme Court website.
Court activities were very much irregular for a long time due to the coronavirus infections. A limited version of the court activities was working to dispose of the urgent cases placed by the lawyers. As a result the lawyers and justice-seeking people suffered a lot.
