Allahabad High Court To Consider Request Of Bar Association For Closure Of HC For Two Weeks In Wake Of Rising Corona Cases

Senior Advocate Amrendra Nath Singh, as recorded in an Order of the Allahabad High Court, has "urged that High Court should be closed for at least two weeks so that litigants and lawyers may not rush to the Court and the spread of infection is contained".

The Order further states that Singh has submitted that lower Courts may be directed to not pursue non-bailable warrants that may have been issued in various cases until 30^th April, 2021.

Singh additionally submitted to the Court that while the window for filing cases in the High Court may remain open, there should be no physical hearing of cases and even online hearing of cases should be done where issues regarding demolition, eviction and recovery are involved.

These submissions were made before a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising Justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar. The Court was hearing a PIL pertaining to inhuman conditions at quarantine centres and for providing better treatment of Corona positive patients.

Along with providing various directions to ensure the containment of the virus and to ease the conditions of COVID positive patients, the Bench has requested the High Court to consider the request of the Bar Association for its closure of two weeks.

"The High Court should remain open only for online hearing in limited number of benches for urgent matters only looking to the present scenario. Regarding request made by the President of the High Court Bar Association to stay over all pending non-bailable warrants and extension of interim orders, we are of the view that since there is already pending PIL Writ Petition No. 564 of 2020, applications should be moved in that very PIL for appropriate directions", states the Order.

The matter will now be heard on 19^th April.