The Supreme Court has written to the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates-On-Record Association requesting to reduce timings of Lawyers chambers blocks in view of the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases and imposed night curfew in Delhi-NCR region.

The Supreme Court registry has issued guidelines in this regard as a precautionary measure in view of the growing concerns amid sudden upsurge of COVID19 cases. The guidelines read as COVID-19 additional guidelines for entrants to the Supreme Court premises. By its letter dated, the Assistant Registrar Supreme Court has requested to the Learned Advocates of the respective Bar Associations to cooperate in this regard, i.e.;
1- The timings of the Lawyers Chambers Blocks and other areas used by the Ld. Members may be reduced considering the reduction in number of cleaning and conservancy staff and as well as to enable such staff to leave early because of curfew hours being imposed in NCR Delhi and neighbouring States;
2- The opening of Lawyers Chambers May be done strictly as per the roster put in place by the Bar and the existing practice of thermal screening of all entrants in the Lawyers Chambers Blocks and maintenance of record/register of entrants for contact tracing purposes may be scrupulously followed.

“Cooperation of Ld. Members of the Bar is solicited in order to ensure safety and well being of all the stakeholders within the campus from the upsurge of COVID-19 cases,” it said.

The Supreme Court has issued the above guidelines in addition to its previous Office order dated 13th April 2021, mandating Rapid Antigen/RT-PCR tests for all entrants like Registry staff, Staff of the Coordinate agencies, Ld. Advocates and their staffs etc showing any symptoms similar to those of Covid-19 infections.

Those with symptoms like fever, cough, body ache, loss of taste and smell, diarrhea, etc. shall restrict themselves from coming to office/premises, isolate themselves immediately, and seek medical advice, the court had said earlier. 

The court had directed all controlling officers to ensure that their staff follow the Covid protocols like wears mask, maintains physical distancing, and frequently sanitizes/washes hands.

No crowding or loitering in the campus and movement in common areas shall be allowed except for specific purposes and should be within the minimum time. Also, the usage of lift has been restricted for coming downstairs, and more than 3 persons at a time shall be allowed to use only for going upwards, it had said.

The Court said, the new measures shall be in addition to the existing protocols already in place vide Circulars issued by the Registry from time to time, and such other steps as may have been taken with a view to containing the spread of Covid-19 infection within the Supreme Court of India premises. 

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Faced with the unprecedented outbreak of a pandemic, the three-judge bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, Justices Dr D.Y. Chandrachud, and L. Nageswara Rao, had earlier called for the functioning of courts through video conferencing. The bench had said that it was necessary that Courts at all levels respond to the call of social distancing and ensure that court premises do not contribute to the spread of the virus.

The letter was written in response to and in consideration of the Association’s proposal of providing access to Lawyers to their respective chambers situated in three Lawyers’ Chambers Block of this Court to primarily enable them to take away their files, books, belongings etc.

The letter has stated that access has been permitted to lawyers but only subject to certain conditions and safeguards:

• The Access will be limited to one lawyer per chamber (or two per chamber where chamber is on twin sharing basis) with one assistance or one junior only from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon (morning phase) and from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm (afternoon phase). No intern or client will be permitted access in the chambers.
• The sanitization and deep cleaning of the use portions of the building will be done by housekeeping in layover period
• The entry and exit of all users and visitors will be properly documented, monitored and regulated by DHCBA and one of the office bearers of DHCBA will remain present in every opened block to ensure compliance of the approved plan. They will submit a report after two weeks so that situation can be reviewed in the next meeting.
• Entry of the vehicles shall be only from Gate No.7 and all vehicles will be parked in the main surface parking with Drivers remaining in the parking area only. Sanitizers and handheld body temperature scanners need to be usedat entrance of all the blocks and proper face masks will be mandatory for all such visiting advocate etc.
• No kiosk facility for tea, coffee etc. or ancillary services in any chamber block will be opened. Common use areas like Bar, Consultation Room etc. will not be opened for use and only the toilets for the floors to be used will be opened.
•  Lift facility will be provided only to the floor in use and will be used only by two persons at a time. Every chamber-user will ensure that garbage is properly disposed of in closed plastic bag in the dustbin provided for in every floor. Signs be put on staircases to indicate one-way use to prevent persons coming face to face in places of multiple staircases

The DHCBA will issue necessary advisory about the manner of use of chambers and also request the elderly members of the Bar to avoid coming to Court till further orders.

-India Legal Bureau