[COVID-19] Allahabad High Court extends life of interim orders until August 2

In view of the upsurge in COVID-19 cases, the Allahabad High Court has extended the life of all interim orders as subsisting on March 15, 2021, until August 2 (In Re v. State of Uttar Pradesh). .The Court was apprised that the pandemic situation has not improved and that all courts, including district courts, tribunals as well as the High Court, were working in virtual mode with limited capacity..A Division Bench comprising of acting Chief Justice Sanjay Yadav and Justice Prakash Padia, therefore observed that there is a need to continue the operation of its earlier order dated April 24, which had extended all interim orders until May 31..It proceeded to extend the April 24 order until August 2, thereby extending the life of all interim orders subsisting as on March 15, 2021 until August 2, 2021..The latest order, dated May 31, effectively provides for the following:1. All interim orders passed by the Allahabad High Court of Allahabad, District Courts, Civil Courts, Family Courts, Labour Courts, Industrial Tribunals and all other Tribunals or Quasi-Judicial forums in the State of Uttar Pradesh over which the High Court has power of superintendence which were subsisting on March 15, 2021 shall stand extended till August 2, 2021.2. Interim orders or directions of the High Court or any court subordinate to the High Court in the State of Uttar Pradesh, which are meant to operate till further orders, shall continue to remain in force until modified by specific order of the court concerned. 3. Criminal courts in the State of Uttar Pradesh, which granted bail orders or anticipatory bail for a limited period, which are likely to expire, on or before August 2, shall stand extended till August 2.4. Any orders of eviction, dispossession or demolition, already passed by the High Court, District Court or Civil Court, if not executed till the date of passing of the latest order shall remain in abeyance for the period till August 2. 5. The State Government, Municipal Authorities, other Local Bodies and agencies and instrumentalities of the State Government shall be slow in taking action of demolition and eviction of persons till August 2. 6. Any Bank or Financial Institution shall not take any action for auction in respect of any property or an institute or person or party or any body corporate till August 2. 7. If any undue hardship and prejudice of any extreme nature is caused to any party to the proceedings on account of the extension of interim orders, the said party/parties would be at liberty to seek appropriate relief by moving appropriate application before the competent court, tribunal, judicial or quasi-judicial forum and the general direction issued by the High Court's order shall not be an embargo in considering such application and deciding the same after affording an opportunity of hearing to all the parties to said case. The State and its functionaries will also be at liberty to file appropriate application in respect of particular case for necessary directions..The matter will be taken up next on August 2..[Read order]