DTMT Network

The Jodhpur bench of Rajasthan High Court has been forced to suspend work after the personal secretary of a judge tested positive for Covid-19.

The main gate of the high court was shut and all the advocates were asked to vacate the premises for sanitisation.

The administration has ordered screening of all staff members and officials as many had contacted the infected personal secretary. Samples of all court employees were taken.

"An employee of the high court has tested positive and it has been found that he had come in direct contact with many other employees and judges posted here," said the registrar general Rajinder Kumar.

The entire premises of the court was sanitised using a solution of sodium hypochlorite and all lawyers were sent home.

Covid safety protocols have been put in place for all court activities and hearings have resumed. Only the most important cases were being heard during the various phases of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

All lawyers and staffers above 65 have been told to address the court through video conferencing, and no more than five people are allowed in a courtroom to check crowding. An e-pass is now compulsory to enter the high court in Jaipur and Jodhpur and there's a two-layer thermal scanning put in place for all lawyers.