BENGALURU: Taking a serious note of people struggling for medicines, beds and oxygen amidst the sudden surge in Covid cases across the state, especially in Bengaluru Urban, the Karnataka High Court on Friday sought response from the State Government on the issue by Saturday.
Also, orally suggesting to constitute a high-level committee headed by a retired HC judge to monitor the availability of beds, Remdesivir and oxygen supply, and ensure the same to the needy, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar said that their suggestion would ensure confidence among people, as everyone cannot come to the court to have their grievances addressed, and hence, the government should step in immediately and address the same.
Directing the Additional Advocate General (AAG) to address the court on the said issues on Saturday, the court orally observed that even the state can consider to waive charges being levied for cremation of persons who had succumbed to Covid-19, when a counsel pointed out the huge charges allegedly being levied for cremation.
In order to avoid litigants to suffer for approaching courts during the pandemic, the court passed the order extending the interim orders passed by the High Court, district courts, magistrate courts, family courts, labour courts and the tribunals under it, till May 29, 2021. However, the parties can apply for vacating interim orders and the same may be considered by the courts, the HC said, while asking the AAG to submit the state’s view on extension of bail and anticipatory bail orders on Saturday.
New SOP, entry restricted
Meanwhile, the Registrar General TG Shivashankare Gowda (In-charge), High Court, issued notification prohibiting entry of litigants to the High Court complexes in Bengaluru, Dharwad and Kalaburagi, and trial and district courts in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ballari, Bidar, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Kalaburagi, Mysuru and Tumakuru. According to the notification, the recording of evidence in all civil and criminal cases is prohibited, except in the cases where a time schedule is fixed by the Supreme Court and High Court.