The Islamabad High Court. PHOTO COURTESY: IHC
“It is informed that Islamabad High Court has started operating e-courts. The lawyers desirous of availing the e-court facility may make request on the prescribed proforma, available on the official website of the Islamabad High Court, with an undertaking embodied therein,” read a notification issued by the IHC registrar office.
However, lawyers will be required to maintain dress code in the online proceedings. As per a notification issued by the IHC registrar, the lawyers have been directed to provide their Skype IDs to take part in online proceedings.
Further, the respondents in the case have not been allowed to record online proceeding via any application or software.
“The advocates or the parties shall not record the proceedings of E-court through any device nor make the same public in any manner whatsoever and if they do, they may be proceeded against under the applicable laws,” the notification said.
IHC special bench to take up NFC plea tomorrow
The registrar said that the government institutions and departments could also avail e-court facility. The circular read that the lawyers must prepare a separate file for online proceedings while the IHC will also maintain recordings of all hearings via e-court.
The registrar said that the high court would issue a separate list of all cases to be heard online.
The notification said that required software will be installed in each courtroom with system, accessories, and equipment required to run an e-court. The information technology staff will handle the e-court related software and technical procedure and shall test the communication before hearing of a case.
A separate file will be created for each case and entire proceedings will be recorded and saved in the back up. The IT Branch after coordination with court associate of the respective courts shall prepare the cause list of e-court and make the same available on the official website.
The cause list must contain active contact numbers and Skype IDs of the advocates appearing for the parties, the notification said adding that the proceedings conducted through the process of e-court will have the same authenticity as done in the normal situation provided under the law.
The proceedings conducted through e-court shall have the protection of Article 164 of the Qanoon-e-Shahadat Order 1984 as well as other enabling laws, besides the court, in addition to the above, may adopt any other procedure if required or deemed it appropriate.
IHC refuses stay in CDA reconstitution case
IHC allows FIA to continue oil companies’ probe
The employees of the apex civic agency failed to get a stay from Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a case pertaining to the reconstitution of the agency. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition filed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Labour Union against the reconstitution of the authority.
The written order, issued by the court, said that the officials from CDA, interior ministry and cabinet division appeared in the court.
The representatives of the federal government maintained before the court that they have yet not received orders issued by Prime Minister Imran Khan on June 4 pertaining to the restructuring of CDA.
The government sought time for submitting a detailed answer in the case. Therefore, the court adjourned the hearing until July 17.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.
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