Staff Reporter :
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain issued practice directions for the use of virtual courts in the appellate division and high court division.
As per the high court division directions, a lawyer has to file an application via email address of the concerned bench officer of the concerned court along with an application requesting virtual hearing giving reason for urgency.
The application in soft copy is to be typed on legal size paper and scanned copy of any documentary evidence in support of the application must be in PDF format and authenticated
and certified by the filing lawyer, read the directions.
Wakalatnama containing the name, mobile number, email address and bar association membership number of the filing lawyer is to be uploaded by the concerned lawyer by scanning the same and sending it via email in PDF format.
Court fees and costs to be assessed by the relevant section shall be paid by the party concerned within 72 hours of opening of regular court. The filing lawyer will give undertaking as to the truth of the statements made in the petition and the genuineness of any document annexed. If, later on, it is found that any false statement was made or false document was produced, then the person responsible shall be dealt in accordance with law.
On receipt of the petition’s copy the concerned judge shall, upon considering the urgency of the matter, fix a date and time of hearing and accordingly inform the bench officer concerned.
The bench officer shall post the matter in the online cause list and at the same time send an email/SMS to the filing lawyer, the opponent’s lawyer, if any, and the office of the attorney general informing them of the date and time of hearing.
The concerned judge and the lawyers shall be properly dressed in court dress without gown and maintain decorum in the virtual hearing. After conclusion of the hearing, order of the court shall be pronounced and the written order signed by the judge shall be scanned, uploaded and communicated by the concerned bench officer via email to the advocate of the concerned party.
If during the hearing the video connectivity is lost, then hearing will continue upon reconnection, If is not possible to conclude the hearing for any reason then the judge shall fix another date and time for virtual hearing.
The directions for the use of virtual court of the appellate division are almost same.
The Supreme Court also provided four email addresses for submitting application to the bench officers. The email addresses are— [email protected] for the appellate division and [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] for the high court division.
Registrar General of the Supreme Court, Md Ali Akbar, on Sunday issued a notification in this regard.
