Delhi High Court Extends Life Of Interim Orders Till September 24

The Delhi High Court has extended the life of it's interim orders till September 24.

The order was passed while dealing with the suo moto petition registered on the extension of interim orders in all matters pending before it and subordinate Courts, in view of the limited functioning of Courts due to the second Covid wave. (In Re: Extension of Interim Orders)

A full bench comprising of Justice Vipin Sanghi, Justice Rekha Palli and Justice Talwant Singh adjourned the matter in light of the submission made by Santosh Kumar Tripathi, standing counsel for Delhi Government that the matter with regards to release of prisoners on account of covid 19 pandemic pending before the Supreme Court will be heard on August 28.

The Supreme Court had ordered that all prisoners who have been released by the High Powered Committees of states in the wake of COVID pandemic pursuant to the May 7 order in the suo motu case should not be asked to surrender until further orders.

"Mr. Tripathi submits that tentatively, the matter is coming up before the Supreme Court on 28.08.2021. In the light of the aforesaid, we adjourn the matter to 24.09.2021. Interim orders to continue," the bench ordered.

The development came after the Court had sought status of proceedings pending before the Supreme Court in its suo moto case regarding Decongestion of prisons in view of covid 19 pandemic. 

The bench also perused the status report filed by the Delhi Government highlighting the impact assessment of release of the undertrial prisoners.

According to the said report, it was stated that out of the 3200 undertrial prisoners released on interim bail during the second wave of the pandemic, 45 have been re- arrested in some of the other crimes. 

"The same does not seem the significant number," the Court said.

Earlier, the Court had sought status report from the Delhi Government on the impact of extension of interim orders, and interim bails granted to the undertrial Prisoners in view of recommendations made by the High Powered Committee with an objective of decongesting jails amid Covid-19 pandemic.

The matter will now be heard on September 24.

The Court had extended life of interim orders on earlier ocassion including 20th April, 11th May, 4th June and 9th July, 19th July, 30th July and August 13.

Title: COURT ON ITS OWN MOTION v. STATE (GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI)

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