Bengaluru: Except Mysuru District and High Court Benches, all District and Taluk Courts have commenced their proceedings from today by following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

According to the partial modification to the existing SOP dated May 21, 2021 which will be in effect from June 28, 2021, applicable to all District and Trial Courts except all Courts in Mysuru District, each Court shall list 30 cases per day —15 (fifteen) cases in the forenoon session and 15 cases in the afternoon session — by preparing separate cause lists for the morning and afternoon sessions in order to reduce the footfall of Advocates at a time in the Court Halls and Court premises. 

To the rest of the cases, dates shall be assigned by use of auto-dating option. While fixing the cases, priority shall be given to hearing of interlocutory applications, hearing of final oral arguments and recording of evidence in part-heard civil and criminal cases. 

It will be also open for the Courts to fix criminal and civil cases for recording of evidence subject to compliance of various conditions incorporated in this Standard Operating Procedure.  The ceiling of 30 cases will not apply to bail petitions.

As far as possible, the Courts may avoid deciding cases in absence of Advocates. However, if an Advocate representing a party remains absent on the date fixed for hearing, the Court may in its discretion issue Court notice to the party whose Advocate is absent calling upon the party to ensure that his/her Advocate is present on the next date. Courts are permitted to record evidence of a maximum five witnesses per day. 

As far as possible, in the cases of accused in jail, their statements under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, shall be recorded only through video-conferencing. No witness shall be allowed to enter the Court complex, unless he/she produces a witness summons or a copy of order of the Court issued to him/her calling upon him/her to remain present, are among other SOPs issued.