AG requests CJ to consider cancelling HC sittings for two days

• Says undesirable to expose officials of court, lawyers, judges and others amidst fears of virus spread
• Requests CJ to cancel sittings this week and schedule dates when environment is conducive
• HCs and MCs will however sit today and tomorrow to consider bail for prisoners
• Bail applications to be considered in bid to reduce overcrowding in prisons

Attorney General Dappula de Livera yesterday wrote to Chief Justice (CJ) Jayantha Jayasuriya requesting him to consider cancelling sittings in the High Court fixed for the next two days to consider bail in matters falling outside the decision of the committee appointed by the President.

Chief Justice  Jayantha Jayasuriya

Attorney General Dappula  de Livera

“Having regard to the Government health warnings and repeated consistent medical advice with regard to social distancing and other precautions that need to be taken against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be most undesirable to expose officials of the court, lawyers, State counsel, the Police and judges to participate and appear in court proceedings which are due to take place to consider High Court bail applications mostly in serious drug cases which at the moment stand at over 100, where lawyers have filed motions for these matters to be taken up in court in the next two days which fall outside the decision of the committee appointed by the President,” the AG said in the letter.

Hence, he requested the CJ to consider cancelling High Court sittings of the Colombo High Courts and other High Courts scheduled for 2 and 3 April and reschedule sittings when the environment is conducive for the same. 

Meanwhile, High Courts and Magistrate Courts will sit today and tomorrow to consider the bail applications for providing legal redress for the prisoners who are in prison for minor offences or for failing to pay bail.

The President’s Office said lawyers can use the identity card issued by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) or other form of ID as a curfew pass.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a committee to make recommendations on the possibility of providing legal redress for the prisoners and lessen overcrowding in the prisons.

Prison rights groups have called for decongestion of prisons in the wake of the spread of COVID-19, fearing it could spread among prison population.