Delhi High Court Orders DHCBA's Executive Committee For Constituting Committee To Look Into Issue of Vaccination Of Lawyers And Hybrid Hearings

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Executive Committee of the Delhi High Court Bar Association to constitute a committee for submitting its recommendations on the issue of vaccination to lawyers and hybrid hearings.

A single judge bench of Justice Pratibha M. Singh ordered the Executive Committee of DHCBA to hold a meeting on 1st March 2021 at 4 PM for discussing the issue and for constitution of the said Committee.

The order came in a petition filed by Advocate Manashwy Jha, practicing advocate of the Delhi High Court seeking two reliefs i.e. adequate mechanism for vaccination of lawyers enrolled with the Delhi Bar Association and suspension of notification dated 20th February 2021 directing physical hearings in the High Court and Subordinate Courts till the completion of vaccination process.

Jayant Mehta, appearing for the Delhi High Court submitted that he wanted to seek instructions as to whether there was a written demand from DHCBA for full opening of physical courts. On the other hand, Kajal Chandra appearing on behalf of DHCBA sought time to consult with the Executive Committee of the DHCBA and all the lawyers expressing various apprehensions to revert to the Court as to what is the final stand of the DHCBA.

Considering the said submissions, the Court while ordering the Executive Committee of the DHCBA to constitute a committee, ordered:

"Accordingly, considering the urgency in the matter, let the Executive Committee of the DHCBA hold a meeting on 1st March, 2021 at 4:00 pm for discussion on this matter and for constitution of a Committee. Thereafter, the said Committee may interact with the various stakeholders including at least three senior counsels, lady lawyers, some younger lawyers and submit its recommendation to the Executive Committee. The DHCBA shall place its final stand before this Court on the next date of hearing."

The matter will now be heard on 4th March 2021.

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