Bar on entry of public, litigants, clerks to Jammu & Kashmir courts to continue

The ban on entry of public, litigants and clerks to courts in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir will continue in view of the Covid-19 situation..Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal of Jammu and Kashmir High Court issued an order through the office of Registrar General Jawad Ahmed on March 21 reiterating a previous order issued on February 3 in this regard."Entry of the Litigants and public into the Court premises from the very outer gate shall continue to be prohibited,” the February 3 order had said..If, however, any litigant on any reasonable ground is compelled to argue his case personally, he shall be allowed into the Court premises subject to the condition that he makes an application at least two days prior to the date of hearing through e-mail to the Registrar Judicial/Presiding Officer of the Court disclosing such compelling reasons and seeking Permission in that regard, it had added.The February 3 order further said that if and when any such application is made by any litigant, the Registrar Judicial/Presiding Officer concerned shall consider the same and, if satisfied, may permit such litigant to enter into the Court premises and inform the litigant of such order by return e-mail.The Chief Justice in his March 21 order noted that the aforesaid directions were not being adhered to and there was considerable increase in footfall in court premises.."Thus, keeping in view the recent surge in Covid-19 infection cases, the aforesaid guideline/direction are reiterated and the Registrar Judicial of both wings of the High Court and the presiding officers of all courts in the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are directed to strictly implement the aforesaid guideline/direction," the March 21 order said.Notably, 28 positive cases of Covid-19 were reported from Jammu division whereas 104 positive cases reported from Kashmir division on Monday as per the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), J&K..[Read Order]