NCLAT suspends work till July 10 after staff tests positive for coronavirus

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Thursday suspended work, including virtual hearings of cases and filing, till July 10 due to sealing of its premises after detection of a COVID-19 case. In a notice issued on July 2, the tribunal said all court works would remain suspended as some staff members have come in direct contact with a affected person, who was tested positive on June 26.

"A staff member was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 on June 26, 2020, which mandated further sanitisation and sealing of the premises of this Appellate Tribunal and suspension of work till July 3, 2020," the notice by the registrar said.

The notice further stated that it has been decided to extend the suspension of court work to ensure personal safety of all concerned and to prevent any peril or hazard to human life.

The tribunal said that a staff member had tested positive on June 26 after which samples of acting chairperson, members, officers of the registry and the staff who had come in his contact were subjected to COVID-19 test.

After collection of their nasal swabs by a team of doctors from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on June 29 and 30, 2020, one of them tested positive.

"It is accordingly notified that the court work (virtual hearing) and filing etc, in the NCLAT will remain suspended till July 10, 2020," it said.

In line with other judicial/quasi-judicial bodies, the NCLAT was conducting virtual hearing of urgent matters through video conferencing, which was started during the lockdown. In May, the NCLAT had announced would cancel its summer vacation this year to cover the shortfall in working days due to closure during the lockdown.

With PTI inputs

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