Bombay HC To Start Hearing Cases Physically On Experimental Basis From December 1

The Bombay High Court will start hearing matters physically at the principal seat in Mumbai, Nagpur bench and Aurangabad bench from December 1. Previously, the High Court had allowed physical hearing only in criminal appeal cases.The notice for the principal seat states-"Considering the precautionary measures due to outbreak of Covid-19, the Hon'ble The Chief Justice has been pleased to nominate the following Hon'ble Judges to hear the matters physically at the Principal Seat at Bombay, on experimental basis with effect from 1st December 2020 to 10th January 2020 (Excluding Vacation) at 11.00 a.m to 1.30 p.m and 2.30 p.m. to 4.30"-Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni will be hearing both appellate side and original side matters from December 1 till January 8, 2021 (excluding winter vacation). Similarly, the division bench of Justice AA Sayed and Justice SP Tavade will be hearing matters on different dates along with the bench of Justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik, Justices KK Tated and NR Borkar. Moreover, the bench of Justice PB varale and Justice VG Bisht will be hearing matters on the appellate side only, i.e. conviction appeals and criminal appeals.Five more division benches will hear matters on both the appellate side and the original side. Along with twelve other single benches on separate dates up till January 8, 2021. Similarly, separate division benches will hear cases at Nagpur and Aurangabad physically.Importantly, three separate benches will be hearing cases through video conferencing as well starting December 2 till January 8, 2021.As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for resumption of physical hearing at the Principal Seat, 1) The Courts taking up matters through physical mode will not entertain any matter through virtual mode. Request for virtual hearing of any matter may therefore not be made. 2) The Advocates / Parties-in-person shall mention their matter only by filing Praecipe through e-mail on the designated e-mail ID of the concerned Court. 3) Mentioning for circulation of the matter will not be allowed in the Court. 4) In case of fresh matter, the Advocate / Party-in-person shall first file the matter with filing department, get stamp/lodging number and then move the Praecipe by mentioning said stamp/lodging number on it and setting out the urgency. 5) In case of mentioning a matter which has been filed after lockdown, the date of filing original papers be mentioned on the Praecipe. 6) The Advocates / Parties-in-person shall forward only the Praecipe for mentioning the matter. They shall not forward soft copy of the matter along with the Praecipe. 7) No Praecipe without mentioning the number of the matter will be entertained.8) The Advocate / Party-in-person shall also serve the Praecipe on the other side. 9) All Praecipes should be sent 48 hours (excluding holidays) in advance before proposed listing of the matter. Praecipes received after stipulated time will not be responded to or will not be placed before the Hon'ble Judge. If the matter is not listed, it is deemed that the Bench has declined for circulation of the matter. 10) The daily cause list for the Courts hearing matters through physical mode may not exceed 50 cases.Click Here To Download SOP (Bombay)[Read SOP]Click Here To Download SOP (Nagpur Bench)[Read SOP]Click Here To Download SOP (Aurangabad Bench)[Read SOP]

Bombay HC To Start Hearing Cases Physically On Experimental Basis From December 1

Nitish Kashyap

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