Bombay High Court To Continue Physical Hearings, File Praecipe For Video Conferencing

Even as Covid-19 cases have hit alarming numbers in Maharashtra, physical hearings will continue to remain the norm while virtual hearings will be an exception at the Bombay High Court's principal seat, in Mumbai, from April 5- 18, 2021, as per the new sitting list. The 25 benches nominated by the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Dipankar Datta, will function in batches between 5th-9th April and 15th-16th April. The notice includes 10 division benches. Barring Justice K. R. Shriram's court, which will hear matters via video conference, the remaining designated benches will hear matters physically. Justice Gautam Patel's court is already hearing matters in hybrid format (both physically and virtually). In case parties would prefer a virtual hearing, they would be required to move a praecipe via email to the concerned bench. "However, allowing hearing through Video Conference is at the discretion of the respective Bench," reads the notice issued on April 1 by the Prothonotary & Sr. Master, of the Original Side and Registrar (Judl-I) from the Appellate side. The notice further states that there should be strict adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures of the court issued to lawyers and litigants. The benches will operate from 11.00 a.m to 1.30 p.m and from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Aurangabad and Nagpur Benches will hear only urgent matters via video conference. A final call on hybrid hearings will be taken on April 5, as the Chief Justice is set to meet representatives of lawyer's associations across the State, including, the Bombay Bar Association, Advocates Association of Western India (AAWI), Bombay Incorporated Law Society along with representative of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa. VACCINATION FOR LAWYERS Following a meeting held between the administrative committee of the Bombay High Court, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal and several other stakeholders, last week, it was decided to conduct a vaccination drive for lawyers and their families above 45-years, practising at the Bombay High Court's principal seat in Mumbai. The four centres designated for the vaccination of lawyers are BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, BKC Jumbo Centre, RN Cooper Hospital and Rajawadi Hospital. Click Hear To Dowmload/Read Notice

Bombay High Court To Continue Physical Hearings, File Praecipe For Video Conferencing

Sharmeen Hakim

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