With the number of active COVID-19 cases declining across the State, the High Court of Karnataka has eased restrictions on entry and hearing of cases in all taluk and district courts as well as its Principal Bench at Bengaluru by allowing entry of advocates to the court halls from June 28.
As per the revised standard operating procedure (SOP) notified by the High Court, though hybrid system — presence of advocate in court physically or through videoconference mode — will be adopted for hearing of cases at the Principal Bench, the entry for litigants and parties-in-person to the court halls remains prohibited. However, these relaxations will not apply for courts in Mysuru district in view of the higher number of COVID-19 cases in the district.
While advocates have been given the option of appearing either physically or through virtual mode, the SOP has advised them to prefer the virtual mode.
Courts in taluks and districts will hear only limited number of cases and witnesses would be allowed to enter the court premises only if the respective courts have ordered for their presence.
Meanwhile, only 50% of the private job-typists and photocopying machine operators, who were provided with space on the premises of taluk and district courts, would be allowed to enter the court premises if they have taken both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine, as per the SOP.
