Principal Bench of Karnataka High Court to hear cases only through virtual mode for now [Read SOP]

The Karnataka High Court has decided that in view of COVID-19, the principal Bench of the High Court at Bangalore will hear all cases via video conference alone from May 24 until further orders. .A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was issued in this regard on May 20..“All benches shall hear all the cases only by virtual mode," the SOP issued by Registrar General T G Shivashankare Gowda (In-charge) said. However, the Advocate General/ Additional Advocate General/ State Government Advocates/ Prosecutors, may, if necessary, address the Courts by physically remaining present, it added. .Further, the SOP stated that the advocates, parties-in-person, and litigants are not allowed to enter the court complex unless there is a specific order of the court to that effect. A soft or hard copy of the said order should be shown to security personnel at the court entrance..This apart, the SOP directed that every person entering the Court premises including advocates and staff members shall mandatorily wear a proper face mask, preferably an N95 type. .The staff of the court were also directed to wear hand gloves and use sanitisers throughout..Every person entering the Court premises will have their temperatures checked. If it is found that temperature is not normal or any of them are found to have symptoms, their entry to the Court precincts shall not be permitted, the SOP cautioned. .The names and cell phone numbers of the persons entering the Court precincts shall also be recorded, it said. .As for filing urgent matters, the advocates/parties-in-person are entitled to file the matters by forwarding the complete petition/appeal in soft copy to regjudicial@hck.gov.in of the Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court. This apart, even physical filing will be permitted, from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm and 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm on all working days from Monday to Friday..The High Court reopened on May 24 after one month of summer vacation..[Read SOP]