The Supreme Court of India will commence full physical hearings on all five days of the week from April 4.
The Court has modified the SOP slightly. According to a press release on Friday, all the cases which have been listed on the three non-miscellaneous days will be heard physically, however the matters listed on miscellaneous days will be heard physically with an option of appearing virtually on prior application submission.
Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India has been pleased to direct as follows:
Clause 1, 2 and 3 of the SOP shall be read as under:
- All the matters listed non-miscellaneous days(Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), will he heard in physical presence of parties in the Court-rooms;
- On miscellaneous days (Monday, Friday) or any notified ,the matter will he heard in physical presence of the counsels/parties in Court-rooms, however hybrid via option can be availed for the party video/tele- conferencing mode (Hybrid option) only after an application is submitted prior.
- For the party/counsel desirous of appearing through video/tele-conferencing mode on any miscellaneous day(s) the option is applying on the official website of the Supreme Court after the cause list is published upto 08:00 A.M. on the day of the hearing. In case the AOR does not exercise the hybrid option, no link shall be provided in the matter; Clause 5 of the SOP shall be read as under:
- If Hon’ble Bench is of the view that in a particular matter, the number of Counsel is more than the working capacity of the Court-room, as per Covid-19 norms, or for any other reason the hearing of a matter he held through video/tele-conferencing /hybrid mode. the Registry will facilitate hearing of such matters through video/tele-conferencing /hybrid mode;
- All other Clauses of the SOP shall remain the same.
- The aforesaid modification shall apply to hearings fixed on Monday, the 4″ April, 2022 and onwards.
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