Gujarat High Court Notifies SOP on Resumption of Physical Hearings [READ SOP]

The Gujarat High Court is set to start the normal physical functioning of the Gujarat High Court on September 12, 2020. The Gujarat High Court has notified a Standard of Proceeding for the physical functioning of the High Court. After considering the COVID-19 infection in the state and in the country the HC has given the guidelines.  

The State HC said that there will be a common entry for all through Gate No. 5 after a proper screening of every individual. The Advocates, Parties, Registered Clerks, Litigants whose case is listed shall be allowed to enter. An Email Entry Pass will be sent to registered email addresses whose case is been registered and after only after showing that pass (softcopy or hardcopy) along with their ID proof they will be allowed to enter. Thermal screening of all those permitted and if they come by vehicle, will be done in the vehicle itself, and a person showing symptoms of cough, fever, flu, etc. will not be permitted on the premises. The court further said that reduce the use elevator up to 2nf floor and the lift operators are directed to allow only 3 people at a time. The court gave some mandatory norms to be followed all the time such as wearing a mask, using a sanitizer, random screening by the COVID coordinator, maintaining social distancing, and following all the guidelines, SOP with respect to COVID 19. 

Entry will be permitted slot wise only to advocates, who have their case enlisted, with one litigant, registered clerk, or only to one person if needed. Senior advocates may be engaged by the party with advance intimation, standard or nominated council, party-in-person (where the party is pursuing the case without legal assistance); people above 65 who are suffering from co-morbidities should refrain from coming. Once advocate is an allowed to enter no other person will be allowed to enter for the same case.

The court also said that the “Gujarat High Court Advocates Association shall render due assistance in this regard by deputing advocates on a rotational basis to facilitate smooth and better management”. 

The HC further said that entry in courtrooms shall be allowed only to the party-in-person and advocates whose matter is been called upon and others shall be waiting in the designated area maintaining the social distancing and once the matter is over they shall through Gate No. 5. The SOP further said that “In order to ensure strict adherence to the room of social distancing seats in each courtroom are arranged in such a way so that two seats are cross taped in between one and also one row is allowed to remain idle by cross taping it”. Journalist/law reports are only allowed after advance requests. Display boards shall be made functional for the convenience of putting up the names of advocates, party-in-person. Brach visits for the enquiry will not be allowed, common rooms such as the library, bar association room, canteens, chamber of advocates shall remain closed, the building will be handed over to the housekeeping staff for sanitization after working hours every day and the working hours of the court should be from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M the court said. 

The HC also said “Module for updation of a Senior Council and Registered Clerk to be allowed entry in the campus for the physical hearing will be made available on the website http://gujarathc-casestatus.nic.in//gujarathc/; wherein the details of Ld. Senior Advocates and Registered Clerks will have to be updated by the Ld. Advocates by the end of the previous day of hearing”. 

[READ SOP]