The interim orders granted by various courts and tribunals which are due to expire during the lockdown period have been extended by the Kerala High Court till June 30.
However, the aggrieved parties in such cases can move the appropriate courts for vacating such orders, ordered a Division Bench of the High Court, which included Chief Justice S. Manikumar, Justice C.T. Ravikumar and Justice Shaji P. Chaly, on Monday.
Recovery proceedings
The Bench directed the State government, local self-government unstitutions, Union government, and public sector undertakings not to initiate any coercive actions till June 30. However, the agencies can approach the court seeking permission for initiating/proceeding with recovery proceedings, it said.
The time granted for prisoners who were released on interim bail to appear before the jurisdictional courts was also extended.
On anticipatory bail, arrest and bail, the court had earlier held that arrests shall be made only when inevitable, considering the pandemic situation and the efforts to decongest the jails. The Bench on Monday made it clear that the State was free to take appropriate decision on arrest in cases of heinous/serious offences.
Regarding the cases of recovery of material objects used in the commission of offences, the State can take appropriate decisions. The Bench authorised the sessions judges in the State to consider the bail applications of undertrial/remand prisoners who do not fall in the category for which interim bail was granted.
Bail applications
The bail applications can be submitted through e-mail. The applications can be disposed of through videoconferencing after hearing the lawyer concerned and the public prosecutor, the court ordered.
