Nishka Srinivas Veluvali
Published On: January 18, 2022 at 16:09 IST
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Administrative Circular issued by the Bombay High Court with respect to the working hours from 12 noon to 3pm during weekdays due to increasing Covid risk.
The Bombay High Court’s Administrative Committee had put forth the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and as per this the working hours of the High Court will be from 12 noon to 3pm without lunch break on weekdays from January 11 to January 28.
The PIL was filed in the Supreme Court by the Advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay requesting to quash this circular as it is “unrealistic” and “unreasonable”.
The PIL has sought for the Virtual Hearings in all the Courts in Maharashtra.
“The Hon’ble Court may be pleased to direct the high court, Bombay to ensure that all the courts in the state are made to function full time through virtual platform by laying down guidelines for the same in such manner and/or procedure as the high court may deem fit and proper with the object of avoiding physical appearance of lawyers/litigants but without compromising/curtailing the court timing/working hours of the courts in the state of Maharashtra”, the PIL stated.
The PIL mentions the hardships and difficulties that will be faced by the Lawyers and Litigants due to the reduced working hours.
Advocate Upadhyay also questioned the decision to change the working hours of the Lower Court in Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, Alibaug and Thane through the PIL.
The timing to be executed for the Lower Courts is between 11am to 4pm only with 50 percent of the staff.