SRINAGAR: To prevent spread of coronavirus (Covid-19), the J&K High court has restricted hearing to only urgent matters from March 16 to 31 and has called for thermal screening of all visitors to the court complex by officials of the health department posted in the wings of the court.
The order by Registrar General of High Court mentions that the advocates, litigants and parties should forward the urgent matters through email to Registrar Judicial Jammu and Srinagar in order to avoid unnecessary gatherings.
In particular, the Bar association at both the wings of the High Court have been asked to ensure that there shall be no crowding in the court complex including in the lawyers chamber. “They shall also defer all their public functions involving gathering,” the order mentions.
It has been further advised to Advocates to ensure that their clients do not visit courts unless necessary or unavoidable. “The canteens and Bar rooms will not remain operational till further orders whereas all official functions involving gathering shall stand deferred,” the order mentions.
Meanwhile, the Registrars Judicial of both the wings of the High Court have been asked to ensure sanitisation of the complexes and availability of sanitisers in court rooms and all sections of the Registry for the staff and at conspicuous places for the visitors.
“Considering the importance of the safety measures for health, all concerned shall cooperate with the instructions of the staff on the duty,” the Registrar General directed.
As per the latest update, the World Health Organisation has confirmed 6,470 deaths with 164,837 confirmed Covid-19 cases in 146 countries.

NUSRAT SIDIQ