LHC issues COVID-19 SOPs

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court has directed the heads of district judiciary of Punjab to strictly implement the Covid-19 related SOPs in wake of the third wave of the pandemic.

In a directive issued by the LHC, all district & sessions judges in the province have been directed to hold meetings with the representatives of the bars to seek their cooperation in implementation of the SOPs. As per the SOPs, the presiding officers, officials, lawyers and parties who have to appear in courts must wear facemasks and gloves. All lawyers/parties/officials whose cases have not been fixed for the day should avoid visiting the court premises in order to stop the spread of coronavirus. Only those litigants or parties be allowed to enter courtrooms who have specifically been required or directed by the court to attend the hearing in person. Only those advocates who have to appear in a case for arguments or attend a particular case shall enter the courtrooms and may associate one junior that too in case of dire need. The personnel of police deployed at main entrances, parking areas, main building entrances, courtroom premises, must wear facemasks during working hours and not to shake hands. The court employees whose immediate family members have suffered infection are required to inform the authority for taking appropriate precautionary measures. All sorts of official and non-official meetings, inaugurations and ceremonies have been banned temporarily except meeting of Criminal Justice Coordination Committee and monthly meeting of judicial officers, which may be preferred on webinar.