The Madras High Court has issued notification informing the Coram and sitting arrangements of judges for hearing of cases through video conferencing.
The Court has notified changes in the Benches that will hear cases from June 15th June to June 21st, considering the resolution issued by the Administrative Committee that stated that only urgent matters are to be heard by the Judges through video conferencing from their own residence.
The Madras High Court last week had received a massive blow in its attempts to return to normal functioning, when at least three judges of the Madras High Court had tested positive for COVID-19 reportedly resulting in it deciding to restrict its functioning until the month end.
Accordingly, the administrative committee meeting of the High Court, had decided to revert back to hearing just urgent matters through two division benches and four single judges and that to from their residences similar to the manner the high court functioned immediately after the first phase of lockdown had commenced.
Thereafter, the feasibility of physical court hearing despite several plea from advocate bodies was ruled out and the hearing was expanded to video conference hearing of all cases by all the 33 judges in their respective assigned jurisdiction.
The Madras High Court, after more than six weeks of lockdown had decided to function to its full capacity from June 1. However, it was decided that only judges will occupy the Court halls and chambers and the proceedings will be conducted only through video conferencing. The lawyers were barred from entering the court premises both for filing the cases and for arguing cases.
The Court had decided to move towards staggered functioning of the court and all resume functioning of all the 33 benches of the court from the respective court halls ‘through videoconferencing’.
Read the notification here;
