MEGHALAYA HIGH COURT AND SUBORDINATE COURTS RESTRICTS TO HEARING ONLY URGENT MATTERS

In view of the rapid spread of Corona virus, the Meghalaya High Court issued a circular restricting the court hearings in both the high court and the subordinate courts to only urgent matters. The said restriction is supposed to remain effective till 27th March, 2020.

All the advocates, litigants, members of the bar, and staff of high courts and other courts have been provided with precautionary measures in order to prevent this pandemic from spreading any further.

These measures include instructing the advocates to restrict their clients from visiting the courts during the period of 16th to 27th of March, 2020, and to vacate the court premises entirely by 6pm for proper sanitization procedures by the cleaning staff.

The presence of litigant and under-trial prisoners in all the courts shall not be insisted upon unless it is very essential and request for personal exemption of the accused/witness/parties shall be favourably considered and adverse order shall be avoided.

In order to avoid over crowing at the lock up attached to the court, it has been instructed to give remand to the accused through videoconferencing.

The interim reliefs which have already been granted or the intern orders already passed or in operation shall be continued or extended and no matter shall be dismissed in default.

All the members of the bar, litigants, members of court staff having symptoms of cold, fever, sore-throat, cough, running nose, sneezing or difficulty in breathing have been advised to restrain themselves from visiting/attending the courts premises.

Spaces most visited and touched by visitors like the restrooms, staircases chairs and tables shall be cleaned and sanitized properly by the cleaning staff.

In the time of this pandemic, it is a sigh of relief to see the judiciary taking strict and proper measures to curb the virus from spreading further. High court order

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