Kerala HC Constitutes Special Bench To Hear Bail Applications Through Video Conferencing

The High Court of Kerala has constituted a Special Bench to hear Bail Applications. The Bench has started hearing bail applications from Monday through video conferencing.

Yesterday, Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan heard the petitions. 21 Bail applications are listed before the judge for his consideration today.

The proceedings have been Live-streamed through Zoom App.

The High Court has issued instructions regarding filing of the bail petitions. All the criminal matters shall be filed through crimecasefiling-hc@kerala.gov.in with a copy to Public Prosecutor in his email ID (legalfactory@gmail.com). Fresh bail applications can be filed without any pre requisite urgency memo in same address.The parties/lawyers are also requested to ensure that in all cases crime no and details of police are mentioned to facilitate smooth functioning of the adhoc arrangement.

"Fresh bail applications can be filed without any pre requisite urgency memo in same address. However kindly note there would be restrictions in posting cases as Prosecutors are having practical difficulties in sorting out cases. Please ensure that in all cases crime no and details of police are mentioned to facilitate smooth functioning of this adhoc arrangement. In view of the above instructions all urgent requests already made during lock down period would stand discarded except those matters specifically posted on 1/04 /2020".

Recently Rajasthan High Court(Jaipur Bench) directed the Registry to not list applications for bail and sentence suspension under the category of 'extreme urgent matters' during the period of 21-day national lockdown declared to control the transmission of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bombay High Court had recently observed that the release of an accused or a convict in 'breach of the lockdown order' and at the cost of risking lives of many cannot be considered to fall within the category of "extremely urgent matter" which is exclusively being heard by the Court during the lockdown period.

The Rajasthan High Court Judgment has been stayed by Supreme Court.