PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday announced the closure of its principal seat here until May 31 as some of its staff members tested positive for novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

However, two single-member benches will hear bail pleas only during the period.

The high court also made it mandatory for all staffers to submit an affidavit saying neither they nor their immediate relatives, including spouse, children, siblings and parents, and neighbours are diagnosed with or suspected of suffering from Covid-19.

According to a notification issued by high court registrar Khawaja Wajihuddin, if employees fail to file the affidavit or those filed are found to be false, disciplinary proceedings shall be initiated against them under the Efficiency and Disciplinary (E &D) Rules.

Though there is no official word on how many staff members are affected by the virus, official sources put the number at 11 and said the confirmed cases mostly worked in the writ, criminal appeal and review first appeal branches.

Two single-member benches to hear bail pleas only until 31st

They said the Covid-19 test results of seven staffers remained ‘inconclusive’, so they all would undergo test yet again.

The notification said the decision about the court closure was taken by the competent authority (chief justice) in public interest and to protect the judges, officers and staff of the principal seat from coronavirus and that a couple of staff members were diagnosed with the virus recently.

It added that all offices, branches, basic health unit, bar room, Advocate General Block, consultation rooms, bar library, bookshops and service shed of paralegal staff should be closed except for essential staff of general branch, protocol, security, accounts branch and additional registrar (management) offices.

According to the notification, two single-member benches will be functional, while the Institution Branch will handle bail matters only and release the copies of bail-related matters only.

Two principal staff officers will work in rotation. The officers belonging to other districts and women are exempted from duty. However, the additional registrar (administration) will be on duty throughout that period to supervise the disinfection and sanitising of the premises.

The notification said if the affidavit was in affirmative, the staff member would be under obligation to produce a laboratory test report of being not infected with coronavirus.

For the purpose, they will resort to the Police Services Hospital, respective district headquarters hospital or private laboratories.

Moreover, the staff members reporting in affirmative of being affected by Covid-19 will be immediately quarantined and on their return to work on June 1, they will be bound to produce lab test report showing recovery from the virus.

In the affidavit, the staff members will also have to declare that neither their neighbours immediate or distant nor any person in their colony, village or area have tested positive for Covid-19 nor are they coronavirus symptomatic.

Initially, in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the high court had ordered closure of all courts in the province on Mar 24, while only few judges and essential staff was assigned duties to handle the cases of urgent nature.

From Apr 20, all high court judges resumed work at the principal seat and circuit benches.

A month ago, the high court had temporarily closed its writ branch after one of its staff members tested positive for Covid-19. The branch was reopened after the premises and all the files and documents were disinfected.

Earlier, the high court had devised a plan against the virus and bound litigants and visitors to wear face masks and gloves on the premises.

Currently, the litigants and other visitors are examined on entrance and those showing Covid-19 symptoms are stopped from entering the premises.

The body temperature of all visitors and staff members is checked by thermal guns at entrance and they pass through a barrage of disinfectants emitted through mist fans.

The visitors are also bound to wash hands or use hand sanitisers.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2020