Courts to take up only emergency cases

Mysuru/Mysore: The COVID-19 scare has affected the Judicial proceedings too, with the City Law Courts declaring that only emergency cases will be taken up for hearing.

Following a direction by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice A.S. Oka, the High Court Registrar-General Rajendra Badamikar on Sunday had issued a notification to all District Courts asking them to take up only emergency cases, in view of the partial lockdown announced by the State Government to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Subsequent to the notification, the City Law Courts has deferred hearing of all cases, except emergency ones, until further orders. Accordingly, the 34 Benches in the City Courts and 16 Benches at Taluk Courts in the district are taking up only emergency cases.

The High Court notification also said that litigants be exempted from personal appearance in Courts, unless their presence is compulsorily needed. As they were unaware of this, many litigants and the public turned up at the Courts complex on Monday and had to return soon after, upon coming to know of the restrictions in view of the Coronavirus scare.

Meanwhile, Mysore Bar Association, taking note of the High Court notification, has put up a notice on its Notice Board in the Law Courts premises, asking the Bar members to inform all their clients not to come to the Courts for hearings, until further orders.

Thermal Screening begins

Even as the Government  is taking all measures that it can to stop the spread of the deadly COVID-19, the Court too taking cue, has started thermal screening of all advocates, litigants and members of the public arriving at the Court, starting from today. 

A  thermal screening point has been set up at the entry gate of the Court and Medical staff are carrying out thermal screening of all the visitors.