In a big relief for civil court lawyers, their wait for physical hearing of matters ended on Tuesday. Based on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Jharkhand High Court, Jharkhand State Bar Council and State Government physical hearing at Civil Courts across the state resumed on Tuesday.
The decision brought smiles on the face of over 33 hundred members of the District Bar Association. The lawyers took part in the physical hearing of courts after 10 months. Jharkhand State Bar Council, Chairman Rajendra Krishna said, “As per Covid guidelines, lawyers having cases in courts will be allowed to participate at the hearing. Also the number of clients appearing at court has been fixed; clients can accompany lawyers in the courtroom only if their presence is necessary.”
Krishna also said, “As physical hearing has resumed we don’t want overcrowding at court premises as it will create problems for lawyers, clients and judicial staff.”
Many judicial processes including testimony and debates in cases that have been closed for months will now begin in courts. A total of 49 judicial officers are posted in Civil Court, Ranchi. Accordingly, a physical hearing will be held in 13 courts. In remaining courts there will be virtual hearing. During the physical hearing, the lawyers have to follow the guidelines issued by the High Court.
The Court of Judicial Commissioner, Family Court, Additional Judicial (I), CJM, ACJM, SDJM and Munsiff Court will have physical hearing three days a week. The remaining three days will be a virtual hearing. The physical court will sit on alternate days, while in the rest there will have physical hearings two days a week.
Meanwhile, lawyers have welcomed the decision of the State Government to resume physical hearing of courts. Anil Kumar a lawyer at Ranchi Civil Court said, “We are happy that physical hearing in courts has started. For the last 10 months due to the corona pandemic and subsequent lockdown lawyers had to face a financial crisis. As lawyers don’t have any financial support system advocates had to face financial crunch during corona pandemic time.”
Sources said that on the demand of lawyers, physical hearing at Civil courts has started, the Jharkhand High Court will take a decision on physical hearing at High Court too within a week.