Dist judge asks DM to provide internet for virtual court

Kanpur: District judge, Kanpur Nagar Ashok Kumar Singh (III), on Monday asked the district administration to provide a room equipped with internet and other IT facilities for establishing a virtual court.
The district judge, in a letter addressed to the district magistrate, stated that Kanpur court had to be closed on June 8 after some advocates were found infected. Later, it was closed again as it had come into the containment zone. It would remain closed till July 24 as it was still in the containment zone.
He stated in the letter that following closure of the court, judicial work was pending and even urgent matters were not being heard. Kanpur Bar Association and the Lawyers Association had urged him to set up a virtual court so that urgent matters could be heard and decided.
“The room will be used by advocates while judges and other judicial officers would hear only urgent matters from their residence”, the district judge said. He specifically pointed out that the said room should be out of the court premises and the containment zone but as far as possible it should not be very far from the court.
Talking to TOI, the district judge said, “The two associations of the advocates have requested to establish a virtual court. Such a court was set up in the court premises but it had to be closed after some advocates were found corona positive and later the court came in the containment zone”. The Allahabad high court’s specific order of June 3 last clearly states that a court would be closed if it comes in a containment zone, he added.
As the court has been in the containment zone since last month, it cannot be said whether it would come out of the containment zone after July 24 or not, he said.
He said the situation in the city is grim due to the surge in the number of coronavirus infections, therefore, only a concept of an e-court is feasible. “As soon as the district magistrate informs me about availability of a room, I will inform the high court and seek its consent for an e-court”, he said. The virtual court would hear and decide only urgent matters and bail applications, he added.
Kapil Deep Sachan, general secretary of Kanpur Bar Association stated that establishment of a virtual court would at least give some relief to advocates and clients.