THE SUPREME COURT OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA

NOTICE

Sittings of the Supreme Court & functioning of the Registry of the Supreme Court

From 23rd to 31^st August 2021

Taking into account the present situation in the country and the guidelines contained in the Press Release issued by the Ministry of Health on 16/08/2021, Sittings of the Supreme Court & functioning of the Registry of the Supreme Court will be as given below.

1. The scheme contained herein will be in operation from 23^rd to 31^st August 2021.
2. Only ‘To Be Resumed’, ‘To Be Mentioned’, ‘For Support’, and ‘Urgent’ matters will be taken up in open court for hearing from 23^rd to 31^st August 2021.
3. If there are any urgent matters among already scheduled applications/appeals that should be taken up in open court, a Motion containing an application to such effect should be filed before the scheduled date, having given notice of such Motion to the registered Attorney of the opposing party or parties, as the case may be. Similarly, for those who wish to file Motions of urgent matters electronically, should do so by forwarding the motion via email, at least three days before the scheduled date, addressed to the Registrar of the Supreme Court; toscurgentmatters@sltnet.lk. The number of the Application/ Appeal should be included in the ‘subject line’ of the email. Should there be an Attorney at Law on record for the opposing party/parties, a copy of the Motion shall simultaneously be forwarded to such Attorney at Law.
4. The application contained in such Motion will be considered by the presiding Judge and a decision will be taken thereon.
5. Such urgent matters will be taken up in the designated court commencing at 10.00 AM.
6. Litigants will not be permitted to enter the Superior Courts Complex, unless permission has been obtained from the relevant presiding Judge.
7. All Attorneys-at-Law are requested to fully adhere to health guidelines issued by health authorities relating to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.
8. Attorneys-at-Law are requested to enter courtrooms only when it is reasonably likely that their respective application/appeal is to be taken up. No more than 25% of the seating capacity is accommodated in the courtroom at any given time.
9. The new dates for Argument/Hearing and Support (both ‘granting of leave’ and ‘leave to proceed’) matters that are scheduled from 23^rd to 31^st August 2021 will be notified later.
10. The Registry will receive all new filings, motions, written submissions, and other documents on workdays between 9.00 AM and 12.30 PM.
11. As per the Supreme Court Rules published in the government extraordinary gazette number 2212/54 dated 29/01/2021 parties seeking to have a Digital Hearing should send the motion through the electronic mail addressed to Registrar of the Supreme Court; todigitalhearing@supremecourt.lk. The number of the Application/ Appeal should be included in the ‘subject line’ of the email. Should there be an Attorney at Law on record for the opposing party/parties, a copy of the Motion shall simultaneously be forwarded to such Attorney at Law.
12. Those who wish to file fresh matters, motions, written submissions, and other documents electronically should do so by forwarding the email, addressed to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, tosupremecourt@sltnet.lk. Such email should contain the Application (Petition and Affidavit) together with the covering Motion, Proxy and the attachments (if any) should be submitted as a single PDF file, containing A4 size pages. The papers should be sequentially numbered from the first page of the Petition and the numbering should continue without a break through the affidavit and the attachments if any. The page number should appear on the bottom center of each page. The attachments should be labeled on the top right-hand corner with the relevant reference to correspond with the Petition. Once the documents are received by the Registry, the Registry upon processing the same will inform the relevant Attorney-at-Law, the number assigned to such Application and filing charges, which will include the fee for the preparation of the briefs in hard copies. Once the fee is notified, it should be paid by depositing the amount so notified to Account No. 007041537 (Account Holder – Registrar of the Supreme Court) maintained at the Hulftsdorp Branch of the Bank of Ceylon. A scanned copy of the deposit slip or fund transfer confirmation should be forwarded to the Registry via email, with the number of the Application on the subject of the email.
13. Upon receiving confirmation of payment of the filing charges, the Registry will take steps to forward the Application to a Judge nominated by His Lordship the Chief Justice to decide on listing the Application for hearing and the date for such hearing will be communicated to the relevant Attorney-at-Law by the Registry, via email.

The Public is informed that the functioning of the Registry will be restricted as the full staff is not permitted to report for work due to the prevailing situation.

On the direction of His Lordship the Chief Justice,

Registrar

Supreme Court

20^th August, 2021