Delhi High Court's 5 benches to hold physical hearings on rotational basis from Sept 1, issues SOP

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The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued the Standard Operating Procedure for the resumption of physical hearings from September 1.  The court said that five benches will hold the court hearings on a rotational basis, while the remaining benches will continue hearing matters virtually, Bar and Bench reported.

"It has further been ordered that five benches of this Court, on a rotational basis, shall start holding physical Courts w.e.f. September 1, 2020, while the remaining benches shall continue to take up matters through video conferencing," HC's Registrar General Manoj Jain said, in an official statement.

As per roster, the division bench headed by Delhi HC's Chief Justice DN Patel would be holding a physical hearing on September 1 and September 2.

According to the statement, the five benches will take up matters as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The courts of registrars and joint registrars of the court shall continue to take up matters through video conference, where the files are already scanned.

The evidence will be recorded in ex-parte and uncontested matters where the same is required to be tendered by way of affidavit.

"The full court, while considering the matter regarding the resumption of physical functioning of this Court w.e.f. September 1, 2020, in view of the ongoing situation of the pandemic coronavirus (20l9-nCOV) in the NCT of Delhi, has been pleased to extend the suspended functioning of the High Court of Delhi (except for the Court of Registrars/Joint Registrars) till September 30, 2020," the statement said.

All the pending matters listed before this court from September 1 to 30 would be adjourned.

As per SOP, persons displaying symptoms of flu, fever, cough, etc. will not be permitted entry inside the court complex and mandatory norms including wearing masks, undergoing thermal scanning and strict adherence to the norm of social distancing within the court-complex are to be followed by all concerned who are permitted to enter the court building and room.

"IT Branch is developing e-solution of sending QR code to the concerned advocate/litigant through SMS/email so that they are permitted physical access on the given day through scanning of such QR Code. Till the time such e-solution is developed, a copy of the cause list shall be available at the designated counter near the entry point of the particular court block," as per SOP's statement.

"The designated court-staff shall note the name and mobile number of the concerned advocate/litigant/registered clerk against the relevant item number(s) of the cause list. Once the entry is permitted to any advocate for any such case, no other Advocate, for the same case and for the same party, shall be permitted to enter inside the court block," as per SOP statement.

It further added that strict instructions have been issued to security personnel for compliance thereof.

(With inputs from agencies)