SC to hold meeting Thursday on resuming usual functioning

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday will decide whether to start its usual functioning through physical presence as requested by the Supreme Court Bar Association, reports news agency BSS.

The apex court on 3 August issued a notification that said the judges of both the divisions of the Supreme Court will join the full court meeting through video conference at 3:00pm on Thursday.

Curtailing or cancelling the annual vacation will also be discussed among other matters at the meeting, added the notification, signed by SC registrar general Md Ali Akbar.

Meanwhile, the lower courts across the country will start their regular operations from 5 August, more than four months after the government declared nationwide general holiday and subsequent limited operations of the courts to tackle the outbreak of highly infectious novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The apex court in a recent notification said all the civil, criminal courts and tribunals will start regular operations with physical appearance from 5 August.

“While conducting the regular operations at the civil and criminal courts and tribunals, all are being directed to follow Supreme Court directives regarding protective measures on the court premises and inside the courtrooms,” the notification said.

To stop the transmission of COVID-19, the government declared a general holiday from 26 March to 30 May. Later, courts started limited operations virtually and in line with the directions issued by the apex court.