Writ petition challenges decision to run court proceedings virtually

A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday filed a writ petition with the High Court, challenging the chief justice's decision to run virtual functions of courts across the country.

Advocate Eunus Ali Akond submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the High Court through email, seeking stay on the circular issued by the Supreme Court administration for operating virtual court proceedings.

In the petition, the lawyer prayed to the High Court to direct the authorities concerned to resume regular activities of the courts of the country.

Citing the petition, Advocate Eunus Ali told The Daily Star that there is no provision in the constitution and Appellant and High Court rules for virtual court functions. The petitioners must swear an affidavit for filing any petition with the Appellate and High Court Division as per their relevant rules, but there is no scope for swearing affidavit in the virtual court functions and therefore the virtual court system is illegal and unconditional, he said.

Eunus Ali said the High Court may hear on his writ petition today. 

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on May 30  decided to run the functions of all the courts including the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court virtually without physical presence of lawyers from May 31 till June 15.