By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Supreme Court has announced that only ‘urgent’ matters will be taken up in open court for hearing from August 23rd to 31st, due to the COVID19 situation in the country.   

Urgent matters should be taken up in open court by a Motion containing an application to such effect to be filed before the scheduled date or if that is not possible, before 9.30am on the scheduled date, with prior notice to relevant parties, the Supreme Court Registrar announced.   

The Supreme Court registrar further announced that such urgent matters will be taken up in the designated court commencing at 11.00am. The Supreme Court Registrar further announced that litigants will not be permitted to enter the Superior Courts Complex unless permission has been obtained from the relevant presiding justice.   All Attorneys-at-Law are requested to fully adhere to health guidelines issued by health authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They have been further requested to enter courtrooms only when it is reasonably likely that their respective application is about to be taken up.   
The new dates for matters that are scheduled from August 23rd to 31st will be notified later. When a party or an attorney contacts the Registrar in advance and schedules a time and date to submit any new filings, motions, written submissions and other documents the registry will receive such documents on agreed workdays between 9.00am and 12.30pm.   

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal has also announced that as a precautionary measure relating to Covid-19, all cases that are scheduled to be taken up before all Divisions of the Court of Appeal during the period from August 23rd to 27th will not be mentioned as scheduled. 

Urgent cases are only to be considered during this period and it is the discretion of the Presiding Justice to consider an application urgent or not.   

Meanwhile, the Judicial Service Commission has given instructions to the High Court Judges, all judicial officers and Presidents of Labor Tribunals that cases should not be called in open court. However, the above restrictions with not apply to all matters relating to bail and any other urgent matters.