Re-opening of lawyers' offices between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on alternate weeks

NEW DELHI: In good news for advocates, the Supreme Court has allowed advocates to access their offices on the premises between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on alternate weeks, based on odd-even scheme. For almost two months, lawyers' chambers were locked due to the outbreak of coronavirus. "To avoid overcrowding inside the Lawyers Chamber Blocks, in terms of the prescribed social-distancing norms, the SCBA and SCAORA may jointly prepare and circulate plan detailing the 'Odd-Even' Chamber Numbers of every Block, which would alternately open on Weekdays (Monday to Saturday) indicating therein the maximum number of persons who may access any Chamber at any point of time," the circular said. The top court had ordered sealing of lawyers' chambers on the court complex on the evening of March 24. Since the beginning of the lockdown, the top court has been taking up only extremely urgent matters through video conferencing. "The Lawyers Chamber Blocks would follow the timings 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Monday to Friday, except holidays) and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Saturday, except holidays), followed by sanitisation of the Blocks; on Sundays and holidays, the Blocks will remain closed for deep cleaning and sanitisation," added the circular. (IANS)