Coronavirus: Karnataka HC to take only 'very urgent admission cases', would remain open from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm

In a notification issued today, it was intimated that the Karnataka High Court would only deal with "very urgent admission matters" from March 23 in view of the widespread corona virus attack..In this regard, the notification reads, "All Benches will take only very urgent Admission matters. No Bench will post any matter for final hearing or a Group ‘B’ matter unless a case of extreme urgency is made out.".Further, it was stated the Court would remain open from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm with lesser number of Benches. It was further clarified that only in exceptional cases the sittings would be extended. The notification further read, ."Only those urgent matters which are specifically posted for admission on Monday the 23rd March 2020 will be listed. Thereafter only those very urgent matters which are to be mentioned before the Court by giving memos will be posted before the Courts.".The notification also highlighted that the object of curtailing the functioning of the Court was to minimize the number of litigants and advocates attending the Court. .In another notification issued, it was informed that all City Civil Courts, Small Cause Courts, Rural Courts, Family Courts, Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals working in Bengaluru City, shall function only from 11 am to 2 pm. The Courts would take up only very urgent matters and bail petitions, the notification reads..However, all the Magistrates’ Courts working in the City shall function from 11 am to 3 pm only and would take up only urgent and bail matters, the notification added..The Advocates Association of Bengaluru (AAB) recently wrote to the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde to shut the High Court as well as Trial Courts of Karnataka for two weeks in view of the corona virus pandemic.[Read the notifications here]