HC, city courts to be shut till May 23, continue only urgent video hearings

The administrative and general supervision committee of the Delhi High Court, headed by its Chief Justice DN Patel, decided that the restrictions would be in place till May 23 and that urgent matters would continue to be heard by video conferencing.

The Delhi High Court on Saturday extended the suspension of work in the high court and the city courts in the national Capital till May 23, saying that it would hear only urgent matters, as per ongoing practise, in view of the national lockdown, imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

The order said all cases listed in the high court, including before the registrars and joint registrars, between May 18 and 23, have been adjourned to corresponding dates between July 6 and July 11. (HT Archive)

The administrative and general supervision committee of the Delhi High Court, headed by its Chief Justice DN Patel, decided that the restrictions would be in place till May 23 and that urgent matters would continue to be heard by video conferencing. However, the number of single benches would now be increased to 10. Till now, there were two division benches and six single benches to hear matters via video conferencing.

“...the functioning of the High Court of Delhi shall continue to remain suspended till May 23 on same terms. The arrangements qua mentioning and hearing of urgent matters by this Court through video conferencing shall continue as before,” the administrative order said.

The order said all cases listed in the high court, including before the registrars and joint registrars, between May 18 and 23, have been adjourned to corresponding dates between July 6 and July 11, respectively. The matters listed in the district courts during this period will also be adjourned and the information will be uploaded on their website, the order added.

On March 25, the high court had curtailed it’s functioning as well as that of the district courts till April 14. It was then extended to May 3 and later to May 17.