CHANDIGARH: To chalk out a plan that how courts can resume working in phased manner, The Punjab and Haryana High court has asked for suggestions from all District and Sessions judges of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh over email by April 24 as function of courts have been restricted due to COVID 19. Also UT senior standing counsel has asked UT panel counsels to prepare list of cases which could be disposed off in short hearing till April 24. Bar Association of Punjab and Haryana High Court has also written to High Court to restore the process of legal recourses.

HC stated that a plan would have to be put in place so that courts can resume working in a phased manner. Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked all the District and sessions judges to take inputs from various stakeholders including the bar associations, the district administration, local health authorities, local police etc and submit suggestions for preparation of composite plan for smooth functioning of courts in phased manner in post lockdown period especially keeping in view the concept of safe social distancing and other health advisories issue by various authorities from time to time in order to prevent spread of COVID- 19. These suggestions are re required to be send via email on statistics2k19@gmail.com by 4pm till April 24.

Also UT Senior Standing counsel Pankaj Jain has written to all UT panel counsels mentioning that there is need to prepare for attending work through video conferencing as guided by SC. For this he has asked UT panel counsels to identify cases which can be disposed off in short hearing of 5 to 10 mins and also to identify cases which do not have any big financial and policy implications.He has also sought to to complete the process by April 24.

There has been feeling among legal fraternity that like all other High courts hearing cases via video conferencing, Punjab and Haryana high court should also start hearing of regular cases along with urgent cases. Bar Association of High court has written to High court stating that, “there is an urgent need to restore the process of legal recourses, especially the functioning of the Courts protecting the fundamental rights as the state Machinery i.e. Police authorities and other civil and Executive Authorities are working overtime in the emergency like situation. And in this undeclared emergency, it is the duty of the court to protect the fundamental rights against any violation by the state machinery, the foremost amongst them is the Right to life and liberty.”



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