The Bombay High Court on Monday
said in view of the coronavirus pandemic, it is hearing only urgent cases, and warned of imposing "exemplary cost" on lawyers and petitioners who seek hearing in matters which are not of urgent nature.
A division bench of Chief Justice B P Dharmadhikari and Justice A A Sayed was irked with over hundreds of applications filed before it on Monday, seeking for them to be placed for urgent hearing on March 26, when the bench would sit again.
Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the high court earlier decided to sit for only two days this week (March 23 and 26) to hear urgent matters from 12 noon to 2 pm.
Chief Justice Dharmadhikari said courts are functioning only to hear urgent matters, and next time if any lawyer or petitioner mentions matters which the court feels are not urgent, then a cost of Rs 50,000 will be imposed.
The high court has also issued a circular, saying on March 26 and March 31, one single bench will sit to hear civil matters and one single bench will assemble to hear urgent criminal matters.
"In case it is found matters that are not extremely urgent are moved, exemplary costs would be imposed," the circular signed by the high court's registrar general S B Agarwal said.
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