Courts to return to hybrid hearings as Covid cases rise again

With Covid-10 cases in the national capital rising once again, the Delhi high court on Friday withdrew its decision to hold in-person hearings from March 15, both at the high court and the seven district courts

With Covid-10 cases in the national capital rising once again, the Delhi high court on Friday withdrew its decision to hold in-person hearings from March 15, both at the high court and the seven district courts . The courts will now return to its earlier system of hybrid hearings (virtual and in-person) and permitting lawyers to join the proceedings through video conferencing.

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Manoj Jain, registrar general of the Delhi high court, said in a meeting of the administrative and general supervision committee held on Friday, it was resolved that hybrid hearings and links would be given to lawyers.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court had asked the high court to reconsider its decision of throwing courts open to in-person hearings after a group of lawyers, led by advocate Rajiv Nayyar, had challenged the decision before the apex court.

On February 20, the high court in an order had said that it, along with all district courts, would be holding in-person hearings from March 15 while adding that only in exceptional cases, the high court may permit any of the parties and/or their lawyers to join the proceedings through video conferencing, subject to the availability of requisite infrastructure.

This, however, was challenged by a group of lawyers, even though no relief was granted by a division bench of the Delhi high court.