new Delhi . The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it will start full physical hearing of cases from April 4. After a gap of more than two years, the apex court is going to start the physical hearing as the virtual hearing was being held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Justice N. V. Ramana said the court would resume physical hearing from April 4. “Opening from Monday, we are starting the physical hearing,” he said.
The CJI said that on Monday and Friday, the court would provide links to advocates for virtual hearings, if they solicited for it.
Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh lauded the decision to resume physical hearings. “The bar expresses its gratitude for this decision,” Singh said.
At present, the apex court is hearing cases physically on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and on Monday and Friday through video conference.
The apex court had started hearing cases through video conferencing on March 23, 2020, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 7 February, in the backdrop of declining COVID cases, the Supreme Court had said it would resume limited physical hearings from 14 February.
A circular issued said, “In view of the significant decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate and in accordance with various instructions issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, Government of NCT of Delhi vide order dated 4th February 2022, In the light of the Chief Justice of India, in consultation with the Committee of Judges, hereby direct that the Revised Standard Operating Procedure notified on 7th October, 2021 shall be revived for hearing before the Court and from 14th February, 2022, all The hearing will take place in accordance with the above revised standard operating procedure notified on October 7, 2021.
As per the SOP issued in October last year, virtual hearings were held only on miscellaneous days Monday and Friday, while the cases listed for hearing on Wednesday and Thursday required physical presence of lawyers in courts.
On Tuesday, the cases were heard in physical mode. However, on prior application by the Advocate-on-Record to the party, attendance through video mode will be facilitated.
In early January this year, the Supreme Court had suspended the October SOP, following a surge in Covid cases.
—AnyTV News
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