Delhi HC to continue limited benches for physical hearing, rest through video-conferencing till November end

The Delhi High Court on Thursday said it will continue the present system of hearing the matters till November 30 in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, three benches are conducting physical hearings on a rotational basis while the remaining benches are taking up the matter through video conferencing.

"In continuation of this court's office order dated September 30, 2020, and in view of the prevailing situation of the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the NCT of Delhi, this court has been pleased to order that the present system of hearing the matters before this court shall continue up to November 30, 2020," Delhi High Court Registrar General Manoj Jain said in a public notice.

He further said additionally, the cases instituted in the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 shall also be taken up, as per roster, with effect from November 17. Accordingly, the cases already listed before this court up to October 20 stand adjourned.

The Registrar General informed that two other courts of Joint Registrars (Judicial) shall take up the matters through physical mode with effective from October 12, while the others shall continue to hold court through video-conferencing as per roster to be notified on the website.

The notice said that all the courts of Joint Registrars (Judicial) shall also record evidence in cases involving urgency or where any direction for expeditious/ time-bound disposal has been received from this Court or the Supreme Court. The recording of evidence may be by physical mode or by video conferencing as the case may be, it said.

The Delhi High Court has time and time again extended the suspension of its functioning from March 23 onwards in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the functioning of the courts was suspended till October 8.

( With inputs from ANI )