Coronavirus: Karnataka High Court bars entry of litigants, visitors

In view of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Karnataka High Court today issued a notice stating that effective tomorrow, the entry of litigants and visitors to the High Court and other courts in Bangalore will be put to a stop until further orders. .In this regard, the notice issued through Registrar General Rajendra Badamikar reads, ."From March 19, 2020, entry of litigants and visitors to the precincts of High Court of Karnataka, Principal Bench at Bengaluru and Benches at Dharwad and Kalaburgi, and all Court precincts in the City of Bengaluru (City Civil Court, District Courts, and other courts of Bengaluru Rural District functioning in Bnegaluru City, Chief Metropolitan Magistrates' Courts, Mayo Hall Courts, Family Courts, Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals) and all Courts and Tribunals in Kalaburagi City will not be allowed."Karnataka High Court notice.However, the notice clarified that members of the Bar, staff of the courts, government and local authorities, and police and security forces will be allowed to enter court premises for official work. .Litigants will be allowed entry only if they produce a "certificate issued by their respective Advocates on their letterheads" stating that their presence is mandatory in court on a particular day, the notice further states. .Additionally, the reasons for permitting entry of clients shall also be mentioned in the certificate issued by the members of the Bar..The notice issued further states that, "Those litigants who are appearing in person or who intend to appear in person will have to tender an application in writing at the entry/checking of the Courts concerned giving the particulars of the case in which they want to appear in person. In the event they want to appear the Court precincts for filing of a case or for filing statement of objections/applications etc. necessary details of the case be set out in the application. After scrutiny of such applications, a decision will be taken by the officials of the Courts concerned for allowing entry to such litigants.".Recently, it was intimated that the Karnataka High Court as well as trial Courts in the Karnataka would only take up urgent matters for hearing until further orders, in light of the Coronavirus outbreak.[Read notice here]