Amid Rise in Covid-19 Cases in Delhi, District Judge Orders Judicial Officers to Work from Home

District Judge of Rohini Courts here has asked all the judicial officers to work from home and not to ask staffers to come to courts in view of rising number of coronavirus cases among staffers and judges recently.

District Judge Swarana Kanta Sharma took note of the fact that some judicial officers are asking their staffers to come to court premises and issued a circular in this regard.

The circular said that despite the Delhi High Court directions that judicial officers were to work from home, it has been brought to the notice that some of them were regularly coming to the court and also calling their entire staff or most of the staff every day.

The directions were passed in a circular issued on June 19 after several court staff and judges, who visited the courts premises, have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past few weeks.

It said that in case the judges did not have the technical facility to hear cases through video conferencing, they must inform the District Judge.

Many staff members have been tested positive for COVID-19 contagion and the undersigned had to close one court recently on this account.

"Therefore, it is once again made clear that all the judicial officers are to work from their respective residences only and in case they do not have the technical facility to do so, they must first inform the undersigned (District Judge) in this regard," the circular said.

It further stated that only one or two staff members should be called for duty on a particular day.

However, Stenographers (Senior PA/PA) can be given dictation preferably over telephone and he/she can work from their home.

As far as Peshi is concerned, Ahlmad/Assistant Ahlmad/Reader may be deputed on rotational basis as per their mutual understanding, be called for limited period, the circular said.

It further noted that some of the courts were not uploading their daily orders on server as per the directions of the High Court.

"Hence, all the judicial officers are also requested to ensure uploading of daily orders on the server," it said.

Two court staff posted at the courts complex tested positive for COVID-19 on June 19 and June 22 respectively.

While one of the officials had last visited the court premises on June 19 and had come in contact with the personal assistant posted in the judge's court, the other had last visited the courts premises on June 11, according to circulars issued by District Judges.

They have been directed to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days or as per medical advice and guidelines of the Government of India.

The Caretaking Branch has been directed to carry out deep cleaning and regular sanitization in the courtroom as well as in the Ahlmad room and the judge's chamber attached therewith, immediately, it added.

In another case, the personal assistant posted the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Mayank Goel had tested positive due to which the courtroom was sealed and sanitised along with the Ahlmad room and the Judge's chamber.

The official had come in close contact with the Judge, other staff members, including the Additional Public Prosecutor and the Constable posted in the court.

They were sent to self-isolation for seven days.

Earlier, District Judge R P Pandey had also tested positive for COVID-19. His courtroom was also closed and sanitised following this.

All the six district courts in the national capital have been working in a restricted way since March due to the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic in the country.