Patna High Court To Function Through Virtual Mode As Judges, Staff Test Positive For COVID

The Patna High Court has decided to function exclusively through the virtual mode after certain judges and staff members tested positive for COVID-19. A notice in this regard has been issued under the orders of the Chief Justice of the High Court."...in view of the recent surge in the COVID cases wherein a large number of court staff/officers of the Registry and some of the Hon'ble Judges of this court have been tested covid positive, the competent authority has been pleased to decide that the functioning of the Court shall be conducted 'exclusively through virtual mode' with effect from 04.01.2022 till further orders," the notice issued by the Registrar General of the High Court reads.Further, the entry to the High Court premises has now been strictly prohibited, unless authorized.Yesterday, in view of the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases in the States of Punjab, Haryana, and Union Territory Chandigarh and with a view to ensuring the safety of Judges, Advocates, Staff, and Litigants, the Punjab and Haryana High Court decided to hear cases only though Virtual Mode from January 5.Due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and the Omicron variant, the Supreme Court has also decided to revert to the virtual hearing mode for the next two weeks.In view of the threat of the Covid pandemic and also sudden spurt and a spike in COVID-19 cases in the State of Jharkhand and Ranchi in particular, the Jharkhand High Court has also decided to function in VC mode with effect from today, i.e., January 3.Further, in view of the threat of the imminent third wave of the Covid pandemic and also the alarming rise in the number of Covid affected cases, the Calcutta High Court has also decided to function through virtual mode only with effect from January 3.The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has decided to hear cases through Virtual Mode only from January 4 to January 21 and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has also decided to revert to Virtual Mode of hearing from January 3, 2022, to January 31, 2022.On December 30, the Delhi High Court had decided that the High Court and district courts would be functioning through virtual mode only with effect from January 3 to January 15, 2022.Due to the surge in Omicron variant of Covid-19 cases, Madras High Court has also issued a notification keeping in abeyance the previous notification for resumption of physical hearings completely.A day after Allahabad High Court decided to hear cases virtually in view of rising cases of COVID in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the High Court yesterday issued a revised notification allowing for a Hybrid mode of hearing (in both the benches of HC) w.e.f. January 4.

Patna High Court To Function Through Virtual Mode As Judges, Staff Test Positive For COVID

Sparsh Upadhyay

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