‘Social distancing difficult in lower courts’

According to advocate V Kannadasan, maintaining social distancing would be near impossible at lower courts as they are more congested than the High Court premises. “If there are any restriction on movement inside the court, it would create unnecessary trouble. To follow social distancing and to reduce the crowding, the lower courts should take cases based on its importance. In civil cases, litigants need not be present for every hearing unless it is necessary,” said Kannadasan.

He added that advocates association and police officials should sit together for a meeting regarding social distancing and to limit the number of people coming to the courts.

Speaking to DT Next, Egmore Advocates Bar Association Secretary Durai Kannan said, “It would be difficult to follow social distancing norms in lower courts. But we have to wait for government guidelines and of course the High Court. If the courts resume the normal sitting in June first week, we would present our expectations to the Bar Council and the High Court regarding the functioning and taking up cases.”

Pointing out how more COVID-19 positive cases were being reported in the State, Durai Kannan said the association would decide on taking up with the High Court the recommendations on social distancing and restricting people inside the court premises if the cases keep mounting in the last week of May. Earlier, the circular from Registrar General C Kumarappan instructed that subordinate courts should function with limited subject matters requiring urgent or expedient hearing till May 31, subject to any further decision by the High Court.