Delhi High Court today in full court reference passed a resolution to work during the summer vacation, in the entire month of June, to make up the loss on account of lockdown in the wake of Coronavirus COVID19 outbreak. All the subordinate courts shall also be functional during the summer vacation.
The decision has been taken by the Full Court under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Justice D N Patel and other other Hon’ble Judges of the High Court, to make up for the loss of court working hours and to ensure restoration of normalcy in the functioning of the courts at the earliest.
“…being mindful and cognizant of the difficulties faced by litigants on account of lockdown and consequent suspended functioning of the Delhi High Court and Courts subordinate thereto which, at the moment, are hearing matters of extremely urgent nature or urgent nature, resolved that the said courts shall continue functioning even during the entire vacation month of June 2020,” court said.
The relevant part of the Full Court resolution reads:
“Since during the period of suspension of work, the hearing is limited to the matters of extremely urgent nature or urgent nature, there is negligible fresh filing of cases, lesser disposal and corresponding escalation in arrears, resulting in extreme hardship to litigants.
In view of the severe hardship faced by the litigants due to the prevailing pandemic of COVID-19 that has impaired the functioning of the courts, it has been unanimously resolved by the Full Court that to make up for the loss of court working hours and to ensure restoration of normalcy in the functioning of the courts at the earliest, in modification of the resolution of the Full Court dated 16.09.2019, declaring the period of the Summer vacations for this Court and the Courts subordinate thereto in the month of June 2020, this Court and courts subordinate thereto shall continue functioning during the entire month of June i.e. from 01.06.2020 to 30.06.2020. It is hoped and expected that members of the Bar shall extend their full cooperation in making the functioning of the courts meaningful and purposeful during the month of June 2020.”