Gujarat HC issues new guidelines for listing of cases between July 15-17 after 17 persons test positive for COVID-19 [Read Circular]

In the wake of 17 persons from the Court having been found positive for COVID-19, the Gujarat High Court has issued guidelines for the restricted listing of cases from July 15-17..Earlier, the Court had suspended judicial work for a 3 day period following a spike in COVID-19 cases in the Court's vicinity. A circular issued by the High Court today reveals that 7 persons had tested positive for the virus at the time. .Gujarat HC to remain shut for three days in view of spike in COVID-19 cases in the vicinity, judicial functioning suspended."Today the scenario has worsened and as on today there are total of 17 persons who have tested positive for COVID-19."the High Court circular informs. .The Court goes on to note that it cannot overlook the possibility that there may be more COVID-19 cases in the future, given that members of the Registry hail from different locations..In the backdrop, the Court has now issued following directions of the restricted listing of cases between July 15-17,in the interest of all stakeholders, while also acknowledging the need to balance the safety of the Registry, "which is the backbone of the Court.".Fresh matters of urgent nature of Temporary Bail, Regular Bail, Anticipatory Bail, Parole-Furlough matters, Habeas Corpus Detention and urgent fresh Civil Nature matters shall be listed. A brief note explaining the urgency would accompany such ammeters which will be placed before the concerned Bench along with the matters. The urgency is to be determined by the concerned Bench where the matter is listed.Pending matters that have been filed during the lockdown will not be listed unless a note explaining the urgency is moved by the concerned advocate(s). The note of urgency would be placed before a Judge nominated by the Chief Justice on the administrative side. On acceptance of the urgency, the matters would be listed before the Benches sitting for judicial work. A serious endeavour would be made to complete this entire exercise within 3 days of moving the said urgency note by the advocate(s) concerned.For all pending matters that have been filed before the lockdown, the procedure as enumerated above shall be adopted. However, the matters would be listed within approximately 4-5 days of moving of the said urgency note by the advocate(s) concerned.Mentioning of matters would continue as per current dispensation.All previous circulars relating to listing of all matters shall remain suspended for the time being.The filing through email may continue as per the current dispensation..Read the Circular:.Courts across the country have been functioning on a limited basis amid the ongoing pandemic. .However, with spikes in COVID-19 cases in or around the Courts, several courts have been constrained to further restrict their functioning including the High Courts of Patna, Allahabad, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Calcutta