Cuttack: The functioning of the judicial system in the state has been put in disarray as a result of shutdown restrictions till July 31 in Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Ganjam districts, including Rourkela municipal limits.
However, a bench of the Orissa High Court has ordered Wednesday afternoon that, ‘Respective District Judges are hereby empowered to decide on closure of courts in Containment Zones’.
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As per previous practice, the HC possessed the power for ordering the closure of all lower courts. However, the HC has transferred the power to the district judges and insisted that they keep the higher court informed of any such closure order.
Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 infection in the state, several other regions have also clamped lockdown restrictions. As a result, day to day functioning of many district courts, lower courts and administrative tribunals have been squeezed and affected to a great extent.
PNN