HC allows Punjab, Haryana, UT courts to take up all types of cases

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday allowed listing of all kinds of cases before trial courts in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

The cases would, however, be heard through video-conferencing only.

Since March, when Covid-19 outbreak was reported, only urgent cases were being allowed. A communication from high court to district and sessions judges (DSJs) say they can allow listing of non-urgent cases, which do not require immediate attention. However, the courts have been allowed to go for restricted filing of cases, if local conditions are not favourable.

The courts have also been permitted to allow the whole process in a phased manner. The officers have been asked to ensure that while filing of the cases social distancing should be followed strictly and footfall should be regulated.

In high court, filing of only those cases is allowed where there is some emergency involved. The hearing is happening through video-conferencing, barring a few exceptions.

The physical hearing of cases, which lawyers have been demanding, is yet to take place in high court as well as in trial courts.

A committee was set up on May 27 to suggest ways to allow physical hearing of cases in courts. However, it is yet to come out with its recommendations.

The panel headed by justice Rajiv Sharma is to deliberate on how to resume normal functioning and regulate entry in courts. It will further delve into procedure for filing of cases, norms on social distancing, sanitisation and norms with regard to use of common facilities and air conditioning.