The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the State government to take an immediate decision on providing video conferencing facilities for various quasi-judicial and appellate authorities whose functioning has come to a standstill owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued the direction when it was brought to the notice of the Court that a direction issued by it to a quasi-judicial body was not complied with due to non-functioning of such bodies in view of second wave of COVID-19.
Observing that all public authorities must be in a state of preparedness to deal with the possible third wave of COVID-19 under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Bench said that it is essential for the State to take measures to make the quasi-judicial and appellate authorities function through virtual mode when physical mode of hearing is not possible.
The Bench also asked the government to submit the measures to be taken in this regard.
