Sejal Chaturvedi –
In the light of ease of lockdown restrictions in the state of UP, the Allahabad High Court had issued the guidelines for all the Tribunals and District level court under its territory.
These guidelines would be applicable from June16th, 2021 till further changes.
As per these guidelines the Court had directed the Tribunals and subordinate Courts adjudicate only in serious matters like pending & fresh bail, release, recording of Statement under Section 164 Crpc, Remand, Disposal of Misc. urgent Criminal Application, disposal of Petty Offence cases, directions of High-Powered Committee (HPC) issued from time to time, and also, urgent matters of civil nature (such as injunction matters and other applications of civil nature).
Moreover, the Court had directed that the serious and urgency of the civil matters like accepting new suits, could be decided by the Courts are the local level and if found suitable then they could be considered for hearing.
The Court had directed to have, at the most, only 10 Judicial Officers to be assigned to the matters functioning on rotation or time slots basis
The Court had mandated to upload orders passed while deciding/disposing of the matters in CIS
Further To assist the advocates/Litigants, the Court has to set up the Helpline number that mentions the Landline/Mobile Numbers and to publish it on the District Court website. This facility must be reinforced properly.
Further the District Legal Services Authority Services were directed to take the help of Para Legal Volunteers for manning this facility.
The Court had also ordered to identify The Judicial Service Centre (Centralized filing Counter) or any other suitable space/place for receiving/collecting fresh cases/Applications (Civil/ Criminal) ad to register all such cases/Applications in CIS.
While specifying the details to be mentioned in applications the Court said that applications/Cases should contain the details of advocate/Litigants including their mobile number. However, if there are any defects then, it should be informed to Counsel Concerned, after which those applications could be placed before the assigned/concerned Court.
District Judge had been given the responsibility to ensure minimal entry of necessary Staff in Court Premises, with respect to the guidelines of Central Government and State Government from time to time.
Further a local mechanism could be developed at District Judge’s level in respect to the disposal of applications, passing/uploading of orders, accepting of bail bonds, release order etc.
The High Court while specifying rules for crucial points of proceedings said that, in the cases where the disposal of Case is most urgent/ most necessary, the evidence/ Trial may be recorded/ proceeded with the prior permission of District Judges and the litigants/persons/ Advocates in that respect, shall be allowed to enter in the premises for the same purpose by District Judges only if they are physically healthy.
