Corona outbreak: Allahabad HC resorts to state judiciary shutdown till further order

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday extended its closure along with that of its Lucknow bench and the Uttar Pradesh subordinate judiciary till further orders.

During the shutdown or state's judiciary, the high court will hear only imminently emergent and urgent cases" with prior approval of the chief justice, while all remand and bail pleas of arrested persons would be heard by magisterial courts as per the prevailing practice of hearing them during holidays, a high court notification said.

Apart from that, all courts and tribunals subordinate to the high court will also remain closed till further order, the high court registrar said in a circular.

According to High Court administration, the decision was taken keeping in view the gravity of the situation arising due to outbreak of coronavirus.

"Judicial functioning of the high court with its ancillary staff during this period shall be restricted and only the imminently emergent and urgent cases would be heard by designated bench with prior approval of the chief justice," the order said.

The high earlier had ordered its closure till March 28 but with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordering a 21-day, nationwide lockdown from March24-25 midnight to stem the coronavirus spread, the high court too on Wednesday resorted to the state's judiciary shutdown till further orders.