Delhi High Court District Courts To Function Through Online mode From January 3 To January 15, 2022 due to Covid 19 concerns

The Delhi High Court has decided to reverse back to full virtual hearing from January 3, 2022 until January 15, 2022 in view of the spurt in COVID-19 cases and the consequent 'yellow alert' declared by the government in the national capital.

A statement issued by the court, which had started physical hearings from November 22, said the virtual proceedings arrangement shall continue till January 15.

The decision was taken after an office note was placed before Chief Justice D.N. Patel highlighting the present system of hearing of matters in the courts and also about the rising number of cases of COVID-19 infection in the city.

"The District Courts in Delhi shall also, with effect from 03.01.2022, hold courts through virtual mode only. The video-conferencing links of the courts shall be made available on the website/ cause-list(s). The Principal District and Sessions Judges, in consultation with the DG (Prisons), shall make necessary arrangements for extension of remand of UTPs. Wherever required, the UTPs may be produced through video-conferencing."

"All the stakeholders including court-staff, required to come to the Courts, shall get themselves fully vaccinated and shall strictly adhere to the norms of social-distancing and Covid-19 protocols, guidelines, directions, etc. issued by the Government of India, Government of NCT of Delhi and this Court from time to time," the order adds. 

According to the order, it has been stated that the aforesaid arrangement shall continue till 15.01.2022 and that the entire situation shall be reassessed and reviewed, shortly. In other hand, the Madras High Court which has also been functioning in a hybrid manner, has decided to go fully physical from January 3, 2022.