Restricted court functioning, staggered roster in Gauhati HC, its benches & subordinate courts

April 19: In the wake of the recent surge in cases of COVID-19, the Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court has issued precautionary orders on 19 April, which shall be applicable to the Principal Seat of the Gauhati High Court, the outlying Benches at Kohima, Aizawl and Itanagar and the subordinate Courts of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. The directions shall come into effect from 20 April, 2021 and shall remain in force for a period of 2 weeks or until further orders.

• There shall be restricted Court functioning with staggered roster in all the courts, so as to maintain social distancing.
• 50% of the staff of the Principal Seat and the Outlying Benches, below the level of Administrative Officer (Judicial), shall attend office alternately. The Administrative Officer (Judicial) / In-charge of the concerned Sections of the Registry shall allot the roster duties amongst the officers and staff as per requirement. Moreover, the Administrative Officer (Judicial) / In-charge of the concerned Sections shall ensure that the urgent work of their respective Sections is not affected.
• The same arrangement is to be followed in the subordinate Courts of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. The details of the roster are to be worked out by the concerned District & Sessions Judge, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Special Judge, Principal Judge, Family Court, Member, MACT, etc.
• All Officers and staff of the Principal Seat, the Outlying Benches and the subordinate Courts must wear face masks covering the nose and mouth.

• Entry of outsiders shall be strictly prohibited in the Court premises, unless specifically directed by the concerned authority or unless personal appearance of a party is required in a judicial proceeding. No person, except the learned Advocates/parties appearing in person who are to address arguments, shall be permitted in the Court room.
• For urgent listing of matters in the Principal Seat, learned Advocates may send e-mail to the Hon’ble Courts In the respective Court e-mall IDs (as mentioned in Notice dated 28-09-2020) in the prescribed format as notified earlier (the Notice dated 20-09-2020 and the formal are enclosed with this Notification). With regard to the Outlying Benches, the concerned Registrar is to take a decision accordingly.
• The subordinate Courts of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh shall take up all matters through video conferencing except recording of statement u/s 164 and 313 of the Cr.P.C., bail matters, zimma matters, temporary injunction matters, remand matters, etc. However the District Judges in consultation with the President / Secretary of the Bar, may take such categories of cases in physical form in staggered manner depending upon the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the respective districts. The District Judges may also consider taking up any other matter as “urgent”, which they in their wisdom consider urgent.

• Any case, application or affidavit filed in the Filing Section shall be listed after 4 (four) clear days as enumerated in Order No. 25 dated 08-05-2020.
• Bar rooms in both the blocks and the canteen of the Gauhati High Court woll remain closed. Likewise, the concerned District & Sessions Judge, in consultation with the President / Secretary of the Bar, shall take a decision regarding closure of the bar rooms.