Guidelines for physical and virtual functioning of the High Court of Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 13, 2020

In view of the guidelines issued by the Central Government contemplating phased re-opening of all activities and considering the requests received from the Bar Associations, it is considered necessary to commence physical Court proceedings in a phased manner so as to provide easier access to justice for litigants and for redressal of their grievances.

The Chief Justice of High Court of Meghalaya has issued a set of guidelines for the functioning of the High Court of Meghalaya with effect from 2nd, November, strictly on an experimental basis.

In order to ensure compliance of all social distancing norms and health procedures, the functioning in the High Court shall be through video conferencing as well as by physical Court hearing, the cause list shall specify in advance which Court(s) shall take up matters through physical hearing mode and those which shall take up matters through Video Conferencing mode.

In order to ensure strict adherence to the norms of maintaining physical/social distancing, entry in the Court-rooms shall be permitted only in respect of those Advocates/ party-in-person whose matters are called out for hearing.

The Rest of the Advocates shall wait outside the Courtroom in the designated area for their turn, while maintaining physical/social distancing norms. All case records are to be sanitised before putting up before the Hon’ble Judge(s).

Advocates, aged 65 years or more, can appear and argue the cases only through Video Conferencing (V/C) mode. All advocates/litigants appearing in the Courts shall adhere to all protocols issued by the Government from time to time.

The advocates shall leave the Court premises on completion of their cases and should refrain from loitering around.  A designated senior advocate will be allowed to appear with one junior counsel only or his/her advocate-on-record.

Provision for thermal scanning and sanitisers shall be made available at the entrance of the Court premises. The District Medical & Health Officer shall arrange all necessary medical assistance in the High Court to meet any urgent medical eventuality.

The entire Court building shall be sanitised on a daily basis.  All guidelines issued by the Central Government and the State Government regarding COVID 19 shall be strictly adhered to.