Amaravati: Take up only urgent cases, HC to lower courts in Nelapadu

Nelapadu (Amaravati): The Andhra Pradesh High Court issued a circular to all the principal district and sessions courts at the district-level and subordinate courts throughout the state to take up only urgent cases for hearing in order to effectively control and contain spread of Covid-19.

Elaborating on the categories of the urgent cases, the circular stated that pertaining to criminal cases the applications for bail or anticipatory bail, applications for suspension of sentence, in cases of under-trial prisoners, if the cases are fixed for recording of evidence and the witnesses are present could be taken up.

In the cases of civil in nature, any type of injunctions or stay applications in which urgent interim relief is prayed, the applications regarding appointment of receiver and commissioner and attachment of property, could be taken up.

The circular advised the advocates and people not to gather in large numbers in and around the court premises.

The circular also advised all the courts and tribunals not to insist upon the presence of the parties unless it is essential and unavoidable. The circular said that the production of accused from jail shall be avoided and their remand may be extended through video conferencing.

All the judicial officers are requested to use the facility of video conferencing to conduct trials, to record the evidence of witnesses. The presidents and the secretaries of the bar associations in the subordinate courts may be requested to advise their clients not to visit the court unless it is very much essential and unavoidable.

The circular also advised all the judicial officers to coordinate with the medical and health department to provide sufficient number of medical officers along with thermal screening guns and to provide sufficient number of masks and hand sanitisers to the judicial officers, advocates, staff and security personnel and also to the employees working in the houses of the judicial officers.

The judicial officers are requested not to allow anyone with high body temperature into the courts.