Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 6: As the authorities have eased the lockdown restrictions, the Chief Justice of High Court has directed for regular attendance of all the employees of High Court, District and Subordinate Courts in UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
Chief Justice Gita Mittal in this connection issued today a circular directing all the officers and staff, at all levels, to attend courts on regular basis on all working days. The circular has been issued in continuation to earlier circulars and directions issued by the High Court of J&K to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the premises of High Court, District and Subordinate courts of UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
However, with regard to those employees who are at higher risk or are above age of 55 or underlying medical conditions have been asked to take extra precautions. The Registrar Judicial of both wings of High Court and District Judges of concerned districts have been asked to ensure that these kind of employees should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public.
It has further been directed that only asymptomatic officers, staff, advocates and litigants in persons be allowed to entry in the court complex. “Any officer or staff residing in the Containment Zone shall inform the same to the supervising officer by virtual mode and shall not attend the office till containment zone is de-notified”, read the order.
The CJ directed that employees who are living in Containment Zones shall perform their work from home and the same will not be counted as leave period. Drivers have been directed to maintain social distancing and follow all required instructions related to COVID-19. “It shall be ensured that drivers residing in the Containment Zones shall not be allowed to drive the vehicles”, CJ directed.
Officers and officials undertaking inter-district, inter-division or inter-State/UT movement have been asked to take such kind of movement only after taking proper station permission from authority and also follow all the SOPs issued in this regard by the Government.
The CJ also made it clear that all the measures already contained in the earlier circulars on preventive measures to contain spread of COVID-19 in Courts issued from time to time by the High Court, Ministry of Health and Family welfare Government of India as also by the Government of UTs of J&K and Ladakh shall be followed at all times.
In its earlier circular registry of High Court is under direction for checking the spread of COVID-19 infection and Registrar General has been directed to ask the Municipal Corporation, Health Department and security agency to post sufficient number of trained staff with necessary equipment at the outer gate of the court premises to ensure screening of all the entrants as is necessary from the date of Government removes restrictions.
The RG has been directed to ensure identification of appropriate places in the court premises and ensure that sufficient number of hand sanitizers are placed by the Municipal Corporation and Health Department in all office rooms of the High Court as also outside the court rooms.
The RG has been directed to ensure procurement and availability of sufficient number of good quality face masks and gloves for use by the officials of the court who are required to attend the duties. “Separate cleaning material including disinfectants and white cleaning cloth/wipes etc shall be maintained and used for disinfecting electronic items and ensure that these materials are not mixed with the general cleaning materials”, read the circular.
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