[COVID-19 Lockdown] Kerala HC notifies Video Conferencing/E-Filing Guidelines to be followed in cases taken up during Midsummer vacation

The Kerala High Court on Monday notified the procedure to be followed by those concerned in moving pleas during the Court's Midsummer Vacation, which would be taken up via video conferencing. .It has been intimated that all participants of the Video Conference would need to download the required app, on to the device that they plan to use for video conferencing. .The Court has also emphasised that all participants must adhere to the prescribed dress code while attending the Video Conference. Further, the participants shall also refrain from using any recording device to record the proceedings during the Video Conference..The manner in which pleas are to be filed electronically has been notified has follows:All petitions, applications, appeals, revisions etc. shall be sent to the Registry with copy to the State Government or Central Government wherever applicable. The email address for the same has been specified in the notification. Further, a memo as contemplated in Section 8 of the Kerala High Court Act, 1958, stating reasons for the urgent hearing should also be included in the email. All requirements as prescribed shall be strictly followed while sending the matter through email.The email shall be sent after 9 A.M and before 12 noon on all working days from Monday to Friday. Any case filed before 9 A.M. and after 12 noon on working days will not be entertained by the Registry and for all practical purposes it would stand discarded.An undertaking shall be given by the Counsel in the email to the effect that he will produce the physical copies of the documents, along with necessary fees and charges applicable, when the court registry resumes its normal functioning, within the time limit notified by the Registry for the purpose.All petitions and annexure/exhibits shall be sent as a single PDF document. Additionally, the head note in the format given below, shall be separately sent as a Word document. The PDF document containing the entire pleadings, and the word document containing the head note, shall be sent in a single email. Multiple emails will not be accepted.The Counsel shall also fill up the details of the individual case in the format provided in the notification, in soft copy (A4 size paper) and forward the same to the Registry in word/ open-office/rich text format. .Participants should ensure that the same decorum is maintained in the virtual courtroom as well.The participants must be appropriately dressed, and where there is a prescribed dress code, it must be scrupulously adhered to.Before logging into the virtual court, test the microphone and the webcam that is going to be used for the virtual hearing. Testing these gadgets during the hearing can cause a disturbance to others in the court hall.While logging into the virtual court hall, the microphone must be muted so as to filter out any unwanted sounds from the participants’ surroundings. The microphone shall also be put on mute whenever the participant does not need to speak at the hearing.The participant shall ensure that he is in a room that is free from disturbance caused by sound or from people passing by. The background of the room must also be plain/sober so as to ensure visual clarity at the time of the virtual hearing.Participants shall also refrain from tinkering with the mouse or keyboard of a computer that is used for the Video Conference, and also avoid keeping a cell phone in close proximity to the computer.No person is allowed to record Court proceedings or take photographs of the proceedings. Strict action would be taken if any Court proceedings published or shared without the written permission from the registry.The participants are requested to enter the video conference before the commencement of the court proceedings to avoid technical interference with the proceeding. Once Session of the participant is over , he or she shall mute the mike and stop the broadcasting his or her video. The participants also ensure adequate power supply maintained for their devices throughout the proceedings..[Read the Notifications]