No Court sitting on April 27 if Supreme Court location continues to be identified as COVID-19 high risk area

As the location of the Supreme Court has become a high-risk area for Covid -19 virus,  the Court  sittings will not take place on the scheduled date to commence its sittings for the 2nd Term of 2020 on April 27 if the situation continues to be identified as an area unsafe for public to access and move around, Registrar of the Supreme Court announced in a public notice.

However, upon an application to hear a case on the basis of urgency, after considering the merits and the circumstances, if the Court is satisfied on the availability of  such circumstances, the Court in its discretion would make an appropriate order in that regard, the notice from the Registrar office said.

A notice published under the hand of the Registrar in due course will specify the dates on which the Registry will be open for filing new matters that had not been  able to satisfy the procedural time limitations due to the closure of the Registry by reason of the imposition of curfew and other restrictions following the  COVID -19 pandemic.

Accordingly, the Registry will be open from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm to accept new filings other than the filings referred to hereinbefore, if the situation in the locality where the  Supreme Court is situated permits. However, a party or an attorney may contact the Registrar in advance and schedule a time and date to open the registry to accept any new filings in any urgent  matter, in the event the Registry remains closed due to adverse conditions.

"In order to ensure effective compliance with the Government health advisories including advisories on social distancing; and to avoid congestion, no person other  than the Counsel / or the Attorney of a party or a person who is an unrepresented party will be allowed presence in court rooms unless prior permission had been  granted by Court on an application by a Counsel / Attorney,"

Taking into account the number of cases scheduled for a particular day, listing of cases may be made on a staggered basis, the notice said. “In such an instance, only the Counsel  /  Attorney and unrepresented parties of such cases that are listed for a particular time slot would be permitted to remain in the courtroom during the said time  period, unless the court directs otherwise,”