[BREAKING] No more extension of interim orders in civil cases; undertrials in heinous cases to surrender: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has modified its earlier order on extension of interim bail orders on account of COVID-19. (Court on its own motion vs State: Re Extension of interim orders)..The Court has also ordered that all interim orders passed in the civil matters shall cease to have an effect on the next date of hearing in the said matters..[BREAKING] Delhi High Court extends interim orders till October 31.A three-Judge Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel, Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh has opined,...in view of the fact that the interim bail and interim stay extension order was necessitated because functioning of the Courts was curtailed due to complete lockdown declared on 25.03.2020 but now the situation has changed and all Courts at High Court and District Court level are functioning through physical mode/VC mode and since there is no spread of Covid-19 in the jails and out of about 16,000 prisoners only 3 are infected and they have been segregated and are admitted in hospital, we deem it proper to modify our order dated 25th March, 2020 which was lastly extended on 24th August, 2020...As per the modified order:.- For 2,318 undertrials who are involved in heinous crimes and were granted interim bail by the District Courts, there shall be no further extension of interim bails under the orders of this Court..Such undertrials are ordered to surrender in a phased manner from November 2 onwards. .[COVID19] Will inmates out on interim bail continue to reap the benefit of extension of interim orders? Delhi High Court to pass order.- All 356 prisoners who were granted interim bail by the High Court are ordered to surrender on November 13, 2020. .The High Court has clarified that the undertrials are at liberty to move the respective courts for extension of their interim bails and the concerned courts shall consider the said applications for extension of interim bails on its own merits and take a decision accordingly without being influenced by any order passed by this Court in the past..- For 2,907 prisoners who were granted bail on the recommendation of High Power Committee, a request has been made to the High Power Committee to take a decision on the issue within ten days..The Court has directed the jail authorities to make appropriate arrangements to ensure surrender of the prisoners and take all required steps in view of the guidelines issued by the Government Authorities from time to time to contain the spread of Covid-19..For civil matters as well, the Court has clarified that the parties are at liberty to move the concerned courts for extension of the interim orders. .On March 25, the High Court had passed an order extending the life of interim orders which were subsisting as on March 16 and were likely to expire or had already expired, till May 15, 2020..Subsequently, as the limited functioning of the courts continued, the life of interim orders was given three extensions. The latest extension was set to expire on October 31. .Read the Order: