PIL filed in Delhi HC to prevent overcrowding in HCs, local courts

In the wake of coronavirus scare, a petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court, seeking its direction to take immediate necessary action to prevent overcrowding in all places including the high court as well as local courts.

A petition was filed in the Delhi High Court by Advocate Aarti Manchanda, seeking its direction to take immediate necessary action to combat overcrowding and to arrange the cause list in such a manner that overcrowding can be avoided in the high court as well as local courts.

The petition stated that the normal functioning of the Courts in Delhi commences at 10:00 am and often litigants and lawyers reach the court premises around the said time often creating crowd at various points such as gate pass windows, parking and entries to the court buildings as well as courtrooms.

"It is stated that no fair reason is given as to why all litigants are required to report the court at 10:00 am when sometimes their matters reach at 12:00 PM or afterwards," the petitioner said.

She also said: "The said direction to all litigants to appear at 10:00 am often creates crowding of persons in the court premises. Though directions of deployment of temperature guns at entry points in court buildings has already been given, the same does not solve the problem of overcrowding in the court premises."

The petitioner has asked the HC to arrange the cause list by dividing the list into time slots like the listing of matters for miscellaneous purposes from 10:00-11:00 am, listing of matters on admission from 11:00- 1:00 pm, listing of final arguments from 2:00-4:00 pm and so on and so forth or arranging of cause list in a manner that the first 25 per cent matters in the cause list be taken up between 10:00-11:00 am, next 25 per cent to 11:00-12:00 pm and listing of matters for arguments from 2:00-4:00 pm or arranging of cause list in a manner that the first 25% matters in the cause list be taken up between 10:00-11:00 am, next 25 per cent to 11:00-12:00 pm and listing of matters for arguments from 2:00-4:00 pm.

She has also sought a direction to mention a particular time for each matter listed in a court.

The petition said that the hearing of cases on an appointment basis is likely to decrease in number person present in court at a point of time as well as save the time of the litigants cooperating in the administration of justice.

"Due to the present global health crisis, it has been suggested to avoid crowded places, however, a lawyer and litigant being helpless, are required to come to court to appear in their matters. Thus, accommodating matters at a specific time on an appointment basis or division of the cause list in time slots is the need of the hour as this measure may help in attracting less crowd in the court premises at a point of time," the petition said.

As per the latest information by the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs, the number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 114. As many as 13 people have been cured so far.

Two people have so far died of the infection in the country so far. The virus had first emerged in China's Wuhan city in December last year.