HC says 3 benches set up, but no lawyer came for physical hearing

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday announced that it has set up three benches to begin physical hearing of cases, suspended after Covid-19 outbreak from March 24, 2020. However, it added that no lawyer has come forward so far to appear before these benches.

The announcement comes a day after Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA), the lawyers’ body, announced that it would suspend work on February 1; and has also called general house meeting in protest against high court administration deferring hearing of cases listed in February for May-June.

The administration said that it has set up three court rooms for physical hearing keeping covid protocols in mind. On January 26 it was announced that all criminal appeals where accused are in custody would be taken up through physical hearing and on January 27, list of 1,100 such cases was also put out on the website. However, till Saturday no application has been received for the same, the official said. The physical hearing was to take place with the consent of all the parties in a case. The administration said that all benches are conducting hearing through video conference and around one lakh cases were listed and nearly half of it disposed of during the Covid-19 outbreak period. “The high court is in regular touch with all the authorities and the decision to gradually increase hearing of cases through physical mode and ultimately to start complete functioning through physical mode shall be taken accordingly,” the high court said.

However, PHHCBA head GBS Dhillon said general house has been called on Monday and it would decide on future course of action. The work will remain suspended on Monday and no lawyer will appear even through video conferencing. HTC