Chandigarh: Functioning of District Courts restricted

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 18

Functioning of the District Courts, UT, has been restricted in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases. As per the order issued by the District and Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, only urgent and selective matters will be taken up for hearing from Monday.

Apart from stay and bail matters, selective cases will only be taken up by the Sessions Court and Courts of Civil Judges till further orders.

In the District and Session Courts, only cases to be heard by fast-track special court for speedy disposal of rape and POCSO Act, cases pertaining to the MACT in which the evidence of the parties has been closed and fixed for arguments, all cases which can be disposed of in terms of compromise between the parties or by way of withdrawal, matters under Section 13(B) of the HMA, time-bound cases or cases in which directions have been received from the Apex Court or the High Court, criminal cases in which defence evidence has been closed and matter has been fixed for arguments, criminal appeals that are fixed for arguments or in which accused are in custody, application for suspension of sentence in which accused are in custody, applications for release of case property on ‘sapurdari’, application for release of compensation amount in LAC and MACT cases and cases that are fixed for ex parte evidence or ex parte arguments.

Applications for release of case property on ‘sapurdari’, matters relating to compoundable offences and cases that can be disposed of in terms of compromise between parties or by way of withdrawal, cases pertaining to Section 138 of the NI Act that are at the stage of preliminary evidence, cases in which defence evidence has been closed and matter has been fixed for arguments, criminal cases that are fixed for arguments or in which accused are in custody, cases which are fixed for ex parte evidence or ex parte arguments and time-bound cases or cases in which directions have been received from the Apex Court or High Court will only be taken up in Courts of Civil Judges-cum-Judicial Magistrates.

In addition to these cases, any category in which both parties have given consent will also be heard by the courts. The consent in this regard will be submitted with the concerned court well before the date fixed so that the said case can be taken on the date fixed. Apart from this, if the court considers that a particular matter is required to be taken up, the court concerned is at liberty to take up the matter. Any case that can be heard and hearing of which is feasible through virtual mode may be heard through virtual mode so that the footfall in the District Courts can be restricted. The remaining cases fixed for the period w.e.f. April 19 to April 30 will be adjourned by the courts concerned on a daily basis to the suitable future dates.

Only advocates will be allowed to enter the judicial block of this Sessions Division. However, access of litigants/witnesses to the courts will only be allowed when their physical presence is absolutely necessary in the courts and they have been directed by the court to put their appearance.

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