The Karnataka High Court will remain closed from March 24 till April 6, in view of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The notification issued in this regard reads,
"High Court of Karnataka will remain closed for the period from Tuesday the 24th March 2020 to Monday the 6th April 2020 (Both days inclusive). This period shall be treated as the closure of the Courts for the purpose of Section 4 of the Limitation Act, 1963."
Karnataka High Court notification
It was further stated that on March 24 and 26, 7 Court Halls will hear extremely urgent matters between 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. The list of Benches hearing urgent cases is as follows:
Additionally, on March 24, filing of urgent matters will be permitted only between 11:00 am and 12:30 pm.
It was further stated that,
"During the closure period, no members of Bar or their Registered Clerks will be permitted to do the rectification of office objections in the matters which are already filed. Only for payment of process fee, entry will be allowed on Thursday, 26th March 2020 between 11.00 AM to 12.30 PM...
...Only those members of the Bar and their Registered Clerks who have moved the memos, will be allowed to enter the High Court premises during the closure period only on the days on which sittings of Benches are fixed."
The notification additionally stated that there would be sitting of the High Court and its Benches only on 31st March 2020 and that there would be special sitting of Court Hall number one on March 30, 2020 for hearing Public Interest Litigations' (PILs) at 10.30 am.
The notification further states that members of the Bar and parties in person shall take a note of the order of the Apex Court' decision regarding extension of period of limitation for all court proceedings.
Similarily, in another notification issued, it was informed that there shall be closure of all the District and Trial Courts, Family Courts, Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals in the State from March 24 to April 6, 2020 owing to the Corona virus outbreak.
Earlier today, the Karnataka State Bar Council (KBAC) wrote to Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Abhay Sreeniwas Oka urging the closure of all Courts in the state till April 4, in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
[Read notifications here]
