Telangana High Court to partially reopen for physical hearing from Sept 7-11; Karimnagar district courts to open on experimental basis

The Telangana High Court has issued a notification stating that it has partially decided to reopen for physical hearing from September 7 to 11.

. On an experimental basis, the High Court has also decided to reopen the courts in Karimnagar Judicial District for the same dates.

. The physical closure of subordinate courts in other judicial districts has been order till September 21. In these districts, the present practice of filing of cases either through the physical mode or by online filing, and hearing through video conferencing will continue.

. As far as the physical functioning of the High Court is concerned, it has been resolved to set up one Division Bench presided by Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan & Justice B Vijaysen Reddy and four Single Benches presided by Justices P Naveen Rao, Challa Kodanda Ram, Dr. Shameem Akther and G Sri Devi.

. The remaining judges of the High Court will continue to hear the matters virtually for the said period.

. The High Court has issued the following guidelines for its physical functioning-

All stakeholders including advocates to follow the SOP scrupulously and other instructions issued by the High Court from time to time including maintaining physical distance, use of masks, sanitizers etc.

Courts will take up admission matters in virtual mode in the forenoon session. Final hearing and other matters will be taken up for physical hearing in the afternoon session or after exhausting the list of admission matters. All mentions may be made through video conferencing only before all the Benches, at 10:30 AM.

High Court will continue to accept either online filing of cases

or physical filing of cases as the case may be, and the cases filed by physical filing mode will be scrutinized and duly disinfected after 48 hours.

Advocates/parties-in-person choosing to file urgent matters through online mode may file the same along with the relevant documents including the proof of payment of court fee duly scanned in PDF format.

The High Court will continue to take up urgent matters along with final

hearing, pending admissions and other matters, as per the roster, in addition to fresh matters either physically or through video conferencing. All such matters, after scrutiny, will be listed before the

judges, as per the roster for hearing through video conferencing.

In addition to the existing control rooms in the Telangana State Judicial Academy, Secunderabad, control rooms are also established in the High Court premises for the benefit of advocates who are attending the physical courts to attend/represent the cases in other virtual courts. For any assistance, they may contact the five digit helpline number 14637.

. Additionally, the following directions are issued to all subordinate courts, tribunals, Telangana State Legal Services Authority, Mediation and Arbitration Centre, High Court Legal Services Committee, and the Telangana State Judicial Academy:

The Unit Head, Karimnagar to follow the SOP issued previously. The Principal District and Sessions Judge, Karimnagar shall report the daily status to the administrative judge and the Registry for further instructions of the High Court, if any, for smooth functioning of the courts in the unit.

All other subordinate courts and Tribunals working under the control of the High Court, the Telangana State Legal Services Authority, Mediation and Arbitration Centre, the High Court Legal Services Committee and the Telangana State Judicial Academy shall remain closed for regular judicial work, till September 21 or until further orders.

The cases which are listed up to September 21 shall be adjourned automatically en-bloc to a working day after one month, which shall be uploaded in the district court website as well as CIS.

All unit heads shall continue to accept online filing of cases or physical filing of cases in the courts in their unit, by following the COVID-19 guidelines. The cases filed by physical filing mode will be scrutinized and duly disinfected after 48 hours.

All judicial officers in the state to take up the hearing of the cases ripe for disposal, in addition to cheque petitions, urgent civil, criminal matters, family court matters such as petition for visiting rights, grant of maintenance, mutual consent divorce under Section 13 (B) of Hindu Marriage Act, and petitions for urgent relief's such as protection, residence and maintenance orders under Domestic Violence Act, through video conferencing or physically wherever it is possible during this period.

In addition, the unit heads may in consultation with the judicial officers in the unit, decide to take up either interlocutory or final hearing matters depending upon the nature and quantum of the work in the courts, wherever both the parties on either side are willing and ready to cooperate for hearing through video conferencing.

Judicial officers to hear the matters preferably from the courts instead of from their home offices through video conferencing and dispose of all the matters where arguments were heard or reopened after hearing arguments and submit compliance report by September 11 without fail. Any deviation in this regard to be viewed seriously.

All the unit heads shall in coordination with the district administration to take necessary steps for disinfection, fogging, sanitization of the courts in their unit and ensure that COVID-19 protocols are followed by all the stakeholders including staff, advocates, litigants, etc.

. Read the Notifications here:

Telangana High Court to partially reopen for physical hearing from Sept 7-11; Karimnagar district courts to open on experimental basis

Aishwarya Iyer

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