Lawyers’ associations in the Supreme Court on Saturday made an urgent and simultaneous appeal to Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde to close the court till further notice on account of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), at an executive committee meeting, passed a resolution that the court should be closed for at least four weeks from March 23.
In another request, the prestigious Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAoRA) , composed of apex court lawyers whose authorisation is necessary to file petitions, urged the CJI and the judges to keep the general health and well-being of the court staff, lawyers, registry employees and general public in mind and shut down the court from Monday for two weeks.
Cursory measures
The past week had seen at least four to six Benches sitting after the court re-opened following the Holi break on March 16. Though cursory measures have been taken like temperature guns, shutting of canteens and distribution of COVID self-declaration forms at entry points, the court premises witnessed crowds outside courtrooms, corridors, mentioning offices, entry points, lawyers’ chambers, etc.
The previous week had seen the court urgently take up the Madhya Pradesh political controversy case on a daily basis. The courtroom which took up the case was crowded and the judges heard the arguments even after normal court hours on Thursday.
Taking up of high-profile cases, like the Madhya Pradesh and the AGR cases, attracted mediapersons, which added to the crowd in the courtrooms. Entry to journalists has been, at best, erratic. A few journalists managed to attend or cover the sensitive cases, courtesy certain informal arrangements.
Even senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for BJP leaders including Shivraj Singh Chauhan in the Madhya Pradesh case, was heard requesting the judges to stop the court’s functioning and revert to the summer vacation mode by which only urgent matters like death penalty and bail or custody cases are heard.
On Friday, the court also held a midnight hearing in the Nirbhaya case.
Health of stakeholders
“CJI and judges should consider the feelings and well-being of all stakeholders and declare vacation in the Supreme Court for four weeks from March 23,” SCBA statement said.
SCAoRA suggested that the court could make up for the days lost to COVID by cutting short the summer vacation in May. Besides, Saturdays could also be used to hear cases once the virus scare was over, the lawyers said.
The Association, suggested that interim orders passed so far could continue till further notice.
