KATHMANDU, March 18: The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Tuesday have requested the Supreme Court (SC) to suspend regular hearings of cases except habeas corpus for at least three weeks to prevent a possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The NBA -- umbrella organization of lawyers -- and the SCBA called upon the apex court to take serious measures to stop any possible spread of the deadly virus in Nepal.  “We submitted our decision to Chief Justice Cholendra SJB Rana and all other justices,” Subhan Raj Acharya, secretary, SCBA told Republica. “They may take a decision on Wednesday as they have already scheduled weekly Wednesday full court meeting.”  

Earlier, the executive committee meeting of the SCBA on Tuesday decided to request the apex court to take necessary precaution against the coronavirus.

The NBA also called upon the Supreme Court to avoid mass gatherings by postponing hearings on regular cases except for hearings on habeas corpus petitions cases and regulate the flow of service seekers and lawyers at the court to prevent any possible spread of the coronavirus.  

The lawyers’ organizations have also said service seekers and lawyers from across the country have to travel long distances to visit the court amid the fear of the pandemic, so the court should postpone all hearings except for habeas corpus petitions.

 
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