Delhi High Court Bar Association Requests CJ DN Patel To Prepone Resumption of Physical Hearings

The Delhi High Court Bar Association has written to Chief Justice DN Patel requesting him to prepone the date of resumption of physical functioning of the High Court to August 31, 2021.

It has further sought that in the first phase of resumption of physical functioning, at least 50% of the Courts should hold physical hearings.

"All the learned Joint Registrars may also hold physical courts including recording of evidence", urges the Association.

Last week, the Full Court of the Delhi High Court had taken the decision to resume physical functioning of the High Court in a phased manner, with effect from September 6, 2021.

The Association citing a constant and steady decline in fresh Covid-19 cases in Delhi since mid May 2021, requests CJ Patel to resume physical functioning.

 "As on today, the positivity rate is less than 0.02% and the number of active cases in a population of more than 2 crores, are a mere 467."

"The closure of physical functioning of the High Court has not only severely financially impacted an overwhelming majority of the members of our Bar especially the younger members, it has also acted to the grave detriment of the consumers of justice. Its detrimental effect on the justice administration system in as much as the impact on the backlog of cases is concerned, cannot even be assessed at this stage", the letter adds.

The Bar Association also provides assurrance that all Standard Operating Procedures and Covid appropriate behavior will be scrupulously maintained.

Read the Letter here.