Supreme Court To Commence Full Physical Hearings From April 4 : CJI Ramana

The Supreme Court will commence full physical hearings from next Monday (April 4), said the Chief Justice of India today."Monday onwards opening we are opening full physically. Monday and Friday we'll provide advocates virtual hearing if they ask", CJI Ramana said."The Bar expresses its gratitude for this", Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, told the CJI.At present, the Supreme Court has complete virtual hearings on miscellaneous days (Monday and Friday). On other days, the hearings are in physical form, with the virtual option available to advocates.It was in March 2020 that the Supreme Court switched to complete virtual mode with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In October last year, the Court had started physical hearings partially. As per the SOP dated October 7, 2021, the Supreme Court had decided that all the matters listed on Wednesday and Thursday, as non-miscellaneous days, would be heard by it only in the physical presence of the counsels/parties in Court-rooms.Further, as per the SOP, the hearings on miscellaneous days (Monday and Friday) will be through virtual mode. All the matters listed on Tuesday, as a non-miscellaneous day, would also be heard in physical mode, however, on prior application by the AOR for the party, appearance through video/teleconferencing mode will be facilitated. In view of the surge in COVID cases due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, the Supreme Court had revertedto complete virtual hearings from January 7, 2022. With several judges and staff getting infected with COVID, the judges started to hear cases virtually from residential chambers. Only urgent matters were taken up for hearing.In view of the reduction in the number of cases, the Supreme Court had decided on February 7 to revert to the only physical hearings on two days a week mode with effect from Febraury 14.

Supreme Court To Commence Full Physical Hearings From April 4 : CJI Ramana

Srishti Ojha

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