New Act to eliminate Covid-19 judicial delaysBy Pamodi WaravitaA new Bill that was presented to Parliament on 8 June will be enacted within this month to provide temporary provisions to facilitate Court proceedings despite the spread of Covid-19 in the country or the prevalence of travel restrictions. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the normal functioning of courts has been disrupted since 16 March 2020. Meanwhile, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on Tuesday (8) suggested that even if the travel restrictions are extended beyond 14 June, the court proceedings should continue. The BASL also requested that full use be made of virtual platforms as a means by which the Courts of Justice could be made functional beyond the present levels. For that purpose, the BASL requested the JSC to issue guidelines or rules, similar to the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Rules in respect of digital hearings.

Source: The Nation June 10, 2021 18:11 UTC