The Delhi High Court after reviewing the 'current arrangements made in the Delhi District Courts to combat the pandemic of COVID-19 and keeping in view the exceptional prevailing circumstances, has issued the following directions in exercise of its inherent and supervisory jurisdiction and administrative powers under Articles 227 and 235 of the Constitution of India, Section 24 of the Code of Civil Procedure 1908, Section 407 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 and all other powers for the District Courts functioning in Delhi:
1. Since the functioning of the District Courts of Delhi stands substantially restricted, there is no requirement for the entire workforce of court officials to report for duty on a daily basis.
2. Accordingly, after assessing the requirement of their respective districts, District and Sessions Judges and Principal Judges (Family Courts), shall prepare a roster and issue directions to ensure that all officials, posted in branches, report for duty on a proportionate rotational basis, to ensure that their footfall is reduced to one third.
3.Since, majority of the cases are being adjourned till 31.03.2020 a mechanism be created in each jurisdiction by the District and Sessions Judges and Principal Judges (Family Courts) so that one judicial officer takes up the matters of his own court and upto of two more courts of similar jurisdiction and remains available during the working hours for taking up fresh urgent matters of such courts. In such an eventuality, the presiding officers of the other two courts and their staff officials, to the extent possible, would not be required to report for duty on that day.
4.Wherever the Principal Judge (HQs) finds that there is' only one Family Court in a particular District, he shall prepare a roster, inter District, to give effect to the abovesaid directions.
5. If it is not practical to put such mechanism in place, in a particular jurisdiction, for any reason whatsoever, the concerned judicial officer may leave the court premises after finishing his entire board after intimating the concerned District and Sessions Judge. In such an eventuality, he may also release the staff, attached to his court, while ensuring that at least one such court official is available during the working hours.
6. All staff officials of Delhi District Courts, reporting for duty, shall submit the Declaration form (Annexure-A) forthwith. Based on these declarations, the respective District & Sessions Judges would take appropriate decision.
7. All those staff officials, who are not required to report for duty on any given day, would not leave the station under any circumstance. They would always be available on call and would 'be deemed to be on duty. In case of any urgency, District & Sessions Judge may call upon them to report back for duty immediately. Record with respect to roster of all such court staff officials shall be maintained by each district.
8. DJS Trainee Officers, on court attachments, be asked to come only twice a week.
9. Reader of the courts would ensure that the requisite details with respect to next date of hearing and its purpose is uploaded through Case Information System (CIS) on the same day. Compliance shall be nlonitored by the concerned District & Sessions Judge.
10. The District & Sessions Judge/In-charge of the concerned Court Complex shall ensure that the Court Building is sanitized on a daily basis. All District Court Complexes should be vacated by 5.00 p.m. on working day and handed over to the sanitization staff for deep/thorough cleaning and shall remain closed till the next mornIng.
The above directions shall come into force with immediate effect and would remain in force till 31.03.2020.
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