SC asks civil courts to hear urgent matters, receive filings of succession suits

The Supreme Court (SC) has asked all civil courts across the country to hear urgent civil matters and receive filings of succession suits.

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain took the decision after discussing the matter with senior judges of the SC, according to a circular issued by the Supreme Court administration yesterday.

SC Registrar Md Ali Akbar signed the circular, saying that the conducting judges of the courts will hear the urgent matters and receive the succession suits, keeping physical distance and strictly following the health guidelines.

Only inheritors of the deceased can file such succession suits with the specific civil courts seeking permission for withdrawal of money from banks and other financial organisations the deceased deposited.

The judges of the courts concerned will fix necessary action plans for maintaining physical distancing in the courtrooms during hearing of the urgent civil matters and the filings of the succession suits respectively in order to contain the coronavirus pandemic, according to the notification.

The judges will receive urgent matters and filings of succession suits in such way so that mass gatherings cannot be taken place at the concerned courts during the proceedings.

On completion of one suit, the conducting court can hear and receive filing of another suit. Moreover, the conducting judges will fix a specific time to hear and dispose of the succession suits, maintaining a physical distance and strictly following health guidelines.

The circular also said a maximum of six people -- including lawyers and plaintiffs -- can stay at a courtroom during hearing of a suit while wearing face masks.

On July 12, the SC asked all the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals, Chief Judicial Magistrates and Chief Metropolitan Magistrates across the country to receive filings of complaint cases.

The same day, the SC issued another circular which empowered the lower courts across the country to receive surrender petitions seeking bails of people accused of criminal cases filed against them.

Earlier, the lower courts could hear and dispose of only bail petitions filed by the detained accused through videoconferencing.

The regular activities of courts remained closed since March 26 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.