COURT WATCH 2/2021

[6th January 2021]

Opening of the 2021 Legal Year

No Traditional Ceremony

JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION

PRESS STATEMENT

OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE 2021 LEGAL YEAR

The 2021 Legal Year commences on 11 January 2021 coinciding with the start of the 2021 court calendar notified in General Notices 2444-2447 of 2020 published in the Government Gazette of 18 September 2020.

Due to the prevailing situation of the thirty (30) day Level IV National Lockdown imposed under the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (No. 2) (Amendment) Order, 2021 (No. 9) (published in Statutory Instrument 10 of 2021) to prevent, control and contain the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) announces that the traditional ceremony signifying the opening of the Legal Year will not be held.

Consistent with the principles of transparency and accountability to which the JSC adheres to, the speech by the Chief Justice to mark the commencement of the 2021 Legal Year will be made available to stakeholders and the public through appropriate media channels on Monday, 11 January 2021.

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