Gujarat HC directs subordinate judiciary to adhere to punctuality, work hours, discipline

Ahmedabad: In a series of directives, the Gujarat High Court has enforced stringent adherence to work hours and protocols for the subordinate judiciary in the state.

Acting on Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal’s instructions, HC Registrar General Moolchand Tyagi issued five essential circulars to judicial officers across Gujarat. One of the circulars states that despite previous instructions from the High Court, some Judicial Officers continue to arrive late and leave early. The circular directs all Judicial Officers to strictly adhere to court hours and warns of disciplinary actions in case of non-compliance.

The circular asks Principal Judicial Officers to identify and report any judicial officers not following the guidelines, especially concerning court working hours.

Regarding protocol duties during work hours, the Chief Justice instructs that such activities should be scheduled before or after court hours to prioritize judicial work during official working hours. Additionally, the circular restricts judicial officers from visiting the High Court on working days without prior permission from the Unit Judge.

Judicial officers are also advised to limit gifts to bouquets and saplings, with a strict prohibition on accepting gifts like mementos and sweets. Furthermore, the circular asks judicial officers and staff to refrain from using mobile phones during court or office hours, except for official duties.