The Madras HC on Friday notified certain additional directions on the mode of filing and hearing of urgent cases at Madras HC amidst the lockdown extension.
The High Court had started observing restrictive functioning from March 18. Subsequently, with the announcement of the nationwide lockdown on March 24, entry in the court premises was prohibited for a period of three weeks. In addition to the above it was notified that only extremely urgent cases would be heard via video conferencing.
The above has been extended in the background of the lockdown extension and the following directives have been issued:
E-filing
- Scanned copy of the Petition/Application/Grounds of appeal along with the requisite documents and precise Written Arguments in PDF Format in matters involving extreme urgency, may be sent to the concerned Registrars via email;
- The same will be accompanied by a scanned copy of Memo containing not more than 200 words citing the cause for urgency and an undertaking to abide with the instructions given by the Information Technology Wing of the Registry for effective functioning of Court through Video Conferencing;
- If the Petition/Appeal/Application is against the Union or State, a copy of the same will be marked to the respective Law Officers;
E-stamping
- Court fee and other charges will be remitted through E-stamping facility by utilizing the services of Stock Holiding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL) through on-line mode or otherwise and the scanned acknowledgement receipt for the said remittance will be sent along with the copy of the Petition/Application/Appeal;
- Advocates/Parties are required to remit Court fee and other charges that are payable to the Appeals/Petitions/Applications so far filed through email and Registered by the Registry ie., from March 26 till April 17, within the period of two weeks from the date of Functioning of Regular Court.
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Listing
- The matter will be heard only after the same is approved by the concerned Judges, on assessing the nature of urgency involved.
- Upon receipt of permission from the Court concerned for entertaining the case, the same will be intimated to the Advocate/Party by the Designated Officer by return of email or by other means of communication;
- If the Court insists for hard copy of the case papers, the Advocate/Party will make necessary arrangements to furnish hard copy of the case papers that are sent through e-mail. The said hard copy of the case papers will be handover to the Registry in the Pass Counters near Dr. Ambedkar Statue in the High Court campus from 10.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. during Court working days.
In addition to the above instructions for participating in Court Proceedings via Video Conferencing facility will be soon conveyed to the Advocates/Parties by the Registry.
Read the notification here:
