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As Covid-19 cases rise, SC suspends physical hearing for 2 weeks
A day before SC was scheduled to reopen after the winter vacations, the court issued a notification on Sunday suspending physical hearings for two weeks.
A day before the Supreme Court was scheduled to reopen after the winter vacations, the court issued a notification on Sunday suspending physical hearings for two weeks starting Monday citing the rising number of Covid-19 cases involving the Omicron variant.
The circular, issued by the top court’s registry, said, “Keeping in view the rising number of cases of Omicron variant (Covid-19), the competent authority has been pleased to direct that…physical hearing (with hybrid option) before courts will remain suspended for the present and all hearings before the courts for a period of two weeks from and with effect from January 3 shall be through virtual mode only.”
The notification came on a day when Delhi reported more than 3,000 cases on Sunday with the fast-spreading Omicron variant being reported from 23 states. On Sunday, India reported a little over 18,000 cases and 284 deaths, according to the dashboard maintained by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
The Supreme Court had allowed physical hearings (with an option to login virtually) from October 7. This had continued till courts closed for vacation from December 18 onwards.
The circular replaces the October 7 notification by which the Court directed that “all matters listed on Wednesday and Thursday would be heard only in physical presence of the counsels/parties in Court-rooms.”
Later, a slight modification was introduced to this rule by allowing the respective courts to provide virtual link to lawyers on prior demand on these two days. On Mondays and Fridays, hearing was to be held through the virtual mode while on Tuesdays, the choice was open for lawyers to argue physically or virtually.
