NE LEGAL BUREAU
CHENNAI, MARCH 16
The Madras High Court is likely to impose several restrictions on its campus similar to that of the Supreme Court as part of efforts to check coronavirus spread in Tamil Nadu.
Chief Justice AP Sahi, who held meetings with the judges at principal seat as well as the Madurai bench, is likely to convene a full court meeting on Tuesday.
The Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde on Monday held a meeting through video-conference with all the Chief Justices of high courts on the need to take preventive measures on the court premises across the country.
The meeting was attended by the chief secretaries and health secretaries of the respective states. After the meeting, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court AP Sahi held a meeting with the seven senior judges of the court.
According to court sources, all non-essential services, including canteen and offices of the Bar associations, would be closed for three weeks. Members of Madurai Bar association, who attended an urgent meeting convened by Chief Justice Sahi, said, “We were informed that from Wednesday only urgent matters will be listed. Ongoing cases will be listed among all the judges including civil, criminal and writ matters.” Advocates have been requested to inform the parties not to come to the courts or to campus and no entry pass would be issued to litigants for the next three weeks. Mediation would be closed, they said.
“The Chief Justice also advised us to close canteens and tea shops if any. We were also told to close the offices of the Bar associations to avoid gathering of lawyers,” they said.
Besides this, court sources claim that the Chief Justice is planning to introduce shift system to the court staff to prevent crowding.
