Deepali kalia
Taking in consideration the worsening pandemic and spike in Covid 19 cases Gauhati High Court has extended all interim orders by various courts till 1st June in 4 North East states which include Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
On Sunday the full bench of Gauhati HC consisting of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, Justices N kotiswar Singh and Manash Ranjan Pathak, had filed a suo moto PIL and finally issued the order on Monday.
Taking in regard the plight of litigants and lawyers at approaching the court during these trying times especially due to curfews and restrictions, the court passed a series of instructions under Article 226 read with 227 of the constitution.
The order states, “In all matters, where interim orders of this Court and of the Courts and Tribunals subordinate to it were in force till April 19, 2021, but have expired since then or are likely to expire by June 1, 2021, such orders shall unconditionally stand extended and/or deemed to have been extended till June 1, 2021. “This shall include all such orders of the Outlying Benches and the Courts and Tribunals subordinate therein,”.
The order also stated that in cases of accused being on short term bail, anticipatory bail or interim bail which would expire before 19th April 2021 to 1st June 2021, his or her bail orders will stand to be effective till 31st May and he may not surrender.
The bench further said that, the litigants may still approach the concerned court in case of an extremely urgent and exceptional circumstance.
May 31st has been fixed as the next date for hearing on the matter by the court.
