Normal Functioning Of Courts Restored In Karnataka Except In Seven Districts

A modified Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court, on January 12, states that "Except in the following seven districts i.e.,1) Bengaluru Urban, 2) Bengaluru Rural, 3) Chikkaballapura, 4) D.K. Mangaluru, 5) Mysuru, 6) Shivamogga and 7) Tumakuru, the rest of the Districts in Karnataka are having less than 200 of COVID-19 active cases for last about 10 days. Therefore, the normal functioning of the Courts as existed prior to 15th March 2020 in all the Districts except the aforesaid seven Districts is restored."

The revised SOP for the districts where normal functioning of the courts has been restored following steps will have to be followed.

1) That every person who enters the court premises shall be subjected to thermal scanning and checking about the symptoms.

2) Wherever it is possible, two separate entrances shall be provided to the court complexes, one entrance for the Lawyers as well as staff Members and the other one for the Litigants, witnesses and others.

3) Sanitizers shall be provided at all the entry points.

4) Use of elevators/lifts shall be restricted to 50% of the capacity excluding the lift operator.

5) Wearing of masks is compulsory in the courtrooms, Bar Association Premises, offices as well as in the court compound. Anybody found not wearing a mask shall be immediately required to leave the premises.

6) Those who are having symptoms of COVID-19 shall not be allowed entry inside the court Complexes.

7) Advocates, Litigants, Witnesses, Police personnel etc., shall maintain social distancing in the Court premises, offices, Bar Association Premises as well as in the courtrooms.

8) In order to avoid congestion in the premises of the Bar Associations, the restriction of removing half of the chairs inside the premises of the Bar Associations shall continue.

9) It is the responsibility of the Members of the Bar to ensure that the litigants are not unnecessarily called to visit the courts/court premises. The members of the Bar should ensure that their clients visit the court only if their presence is mandatory. The court officials shall have the right to refuse entry to a litigant if it is found that he or she has come to visit the court without any reason.

10) The Bar Associations shall appeal to the litigants not to come to court unless and until their presence is necessary.

11) The restriction on Canteens, use of Xerox Machines, Typing and sitting of Notaries is relaxed.

12) Daily cause list shall be divided into two parts. One will be for morning sessions and the other will be for afternoon sessions, in order to avoid the foot fall of litigants at a time in the Court Halls and Court Premises. However, all cases which are due shall be listed.

13) The present arrangement made for filing of cases outside the offices shall continue.

In the seven districts i.e., 1) Bengaluru Urban, 2) Bengaluru Rural, 3) Chikkaballapura, 4) D.K. Mangaluru, 5) Mysuru, 6) Shivamogga and 7) Tumakuru, where the COVID-19 active cases are more than 200, the Spl. SOP which is in force will continue.