COVID-19: Delhi HC decides to continue Physical Hearings, after considering statistics regarding preference

Taking a stance on Court's functioning via physical mode, the Delhi High Court has released the roster with suitable number of Benches.

A presentation has been made by the Registry to the Full Court as to how the Advocates are shying away from attending Courts for physical hearing pertaing to the present sitaution of Covid cases acceleartion in Delhi-NCR.

The Court while admitting that there is surge of Covid cases, decided to not halt physcial courts.

The statistics submitted by the Registry were assessed and deliberated upon extensively by the Full Court and it was noted that such data emphatically revealed that around 94% of the Advocates had indicated their preferred mode of hearing as ‘virtual' mode on the designated mentioning link/e-filing module of the High Court.

Most of the Advocates, whose matters were listed before the Benches constituted for physical hearing, expressed their inability, reluctance or unwillingness to appear physically and that requests, in large number, were received for taking up the matters through videoconferencing.

The data shows that physical appearances were largely before the Single Benches, exercising criminal jurisdiction whereas the appearance before the other Benches was relatively low.

On Covid situation in Delhi-NCR, the Full Court noted:

"The number of Covid-19 cases has been rising alarmingly in the NCT of Delhi. Regular Medical Camps have been organized in the High Court as well as District Courts for testing. 45 officials of this Court (including contractual and outsourced staff) and 192 officers/officials of District Courts have already contracted Covid-19. The UCO Bank situated in the High Court Building had been shut down recently as its three bank officials tested positive."

Despite the adverse circumstances, the Full Court decided not to discontinue the functioning of Physical Courts altogether and resolved to continue with the physical hearing albeit with suitable number of Benches.

The new Roster, effective from15.09.2020, has been prepared and uploaded.

As per separate directions issued by the Hon’ble Chief Justice, the Principal District & Sessions Judges have also been asked to review the requirement of the number of physical courts in their respective Districts and to send a report for consideration by the Committee constituted for Preparation of Graded Action Plan.

Read Presentation Here:

Read Roster Here: