To take up urgent cases duringthe lockdown in the wake of the outbreak of novel coronavirus, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday directed the subordinate courts to function for an hour daily from April 20.During this one hour, the lower courts can take up urgent criminal matters like remand, production and bail."The courts and their offices where there will be morning sittings shall function from 9 am to 10 am and other places where there will be no morning sittings, the courts and their offices will function from 11 am to 12 noon," the order passed by the Registrar General of the Orissa High Court said.The order, copies of which were forwarded to the respective district and sessions judges, chairman of Odisha State Bar Council and the advocate general among others, said that the step was taken in the wake of the Centre's decision to extend the nationwide lockdown to May 3.The order also said that the arrangement for limited functioning of the lower courts will remain in force until further orders.
