Physical Hearing

A bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R. Subhash Reddy has noted in its order that the pandemic has thrown its own challenges and one is the functioning of the judiciary.

There were several requests from Bar to to resume complete physical hearing to normalise the situation in courts in view of decline in Covid cases.

Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde has said that the process to resume physical hearings has begun and will, for the time-being, be reintroduced via hybrid hearings.

The committee has also asked all the Principal District Judges, Principal Judge (City Civil Court, Chennai), Chief Judge (Court of Small Causes, Chennai), Chief Judge (Puducherry) to submit their suggestions in relation to the functioning of the lower courts by December 23.

Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar wrote to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court yesterday, requesting him to have a re-look at the sustainability of continuing physical hearings in view of the incessant increase in the cases of COVID-19 in the national capital and surrounding areas.

The Supreme Court has issued the Standard Operating Procedure for hearing of matters through physical appearance before Hon’ble Court w.e.f 01/09/2020.

District Courts in Delhi have issued the SOP and the Duty Roster for physical hearing starting from Sep 1.

The Delhi High Court has said that its five benches, on rotational basis, shall start holding physical courts from September 1, while the remaining benches shall continue to take up matters through video conferencing.

The High Court of Delhi may recommence physical hearing of matters from 1st September 2020. Even though the dates for recommencement hasn’t been finalised, the Court may sit for physical hearing twice a week.

The Registry of the Supreme Court of India has written to the President of Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association informing about the decision made in a meeting held on August 11 among Judges of the Committee with regards to the resumption of physical hearing of cases in the Court Rooms.