Bar Association of Sri Lanka’s explanation on the effect of JSC Circular and the notice from Presidential Secretariat with regard to Court sittings in the week coming up
COURT SITTINGS DURING THE WEEK COMMENCING FROM 20TH APRIL TO 24TH APRIL 2020.
To all BASL Members
The effect of the JSC Circulars and the Notice issued by the Presidential Secretariat may be summarized as follows;
1. The Curfew currently in operation in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Puttlam, Kegalle and Ampara Districts will continue. The curfew in Kandy, Ampara and Kegalle will also be lifted except in the areas identified by the Notice sent by the Presidential Secretariat.
2. In the remaining Districts the curfew will be lifted on Monday the 20th April 2020 at 5 am and reimposed at 8 pm and will continue in this form for the rest of the week unless there is a change. Please note that some Grama Sevaka Divisions in these Districts will have the curfew functioning until further Notice.
3. Hulftsdorp which falls under the Keselwatte Police Division is one such area where there is a curfew until further notice. It would be the same in Police Areas of Maradana (M C Maligakanda), Mount Lavinia, Puttalam, Marawila and Bandaragama. Therefore, the JSC Circular dated 16th April 2020 will strictly apply to Courts situated within these Police areas.
4. The District Courts and Magistrates Courts in these areas where the curfew is lifted will function based on the arrangements of the local Judges and the respective Bars. However, no trials will be taken up and matters will be called and postponed. The Lawyers and Litigants are not encouraged to come to Court on the 20th 21st and 22nd of April 2020.
5. All Zonal Vice Presidents and BASL Branch officials are kindly requested to speak to the relevant Judges and identify the mechanism in these areas where curfew will be lifted on the 20th. Please keep the membership of your Branches and the BASL informed.
6. The Courts in the 7 Districts where the curfew is not lifted till the 22nd will not function. No matters will be called or mentioned. The next dates of these cases will be made known later. The Magistrates Court of Colombo will function as it would operate on a normal holiday.
7. The curfew will be lifted on the 22nd of April in the 7 Districts mentioned above. Here again the matters will not be taken up for trial and will only be called.
8. Since the curfew will no longer be in force on the 23rd onwards the High Court s will function on the 23rd and 24th. Please contact the respective Registrars now itself and identify the date/dates on which the courts will sit. Some courts may sit on both days whole some appear to be sitting on one day. Please identify the mechanism to file motions now itself by calling the respective Registrars as different courts may adopt different systems.
Management Committee BASL