BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has suo motu taken up a public interest litigation for the consideration of legal and technical issues that are likely to arise from the hearing of cases via video conference when courts across the state begin limited functioning from June 1. 

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed the Registrar General to file a PIL and implead the State and Union governments, the Karnataka State Bar Council and the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority and issue notices to them. The bench appointed senior advocates Uday Holla and CV Nagesh as Amicus Curiae. The matter will be heard on June 1. 

While it is permissible to record statements of the accused under the Video Conference Rules framed by the high court, the bench said that there was no clarity on whether charges could be framed, on the recording of a plea and remand proceedings among others.

HC grants bail to 126 in Padarayanapura assault case
THE High Court on Friday granted bail to 126 people arrested in connection with the alleged assault of police and health workers in Padarayanapura on April 19. Justice John Michael Cunha granted bail to Vazeer Khan and 125 others, imposing condition that each person should execute a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh with surety and undergo medical tests and quarantine if necessary.