Delhi High Court Revises Schedule Of Cases Listed Before It Up To November 30, Restrictive Functioning To Continue [Read Order]

In effect, the court has decided to extend the restrictive functioning till 30^th November in light of the on-going COVID19 pandemic.

Significantly, it has been made clear in the Office Order of Tuesday that the cases already listed before the Court up to 30.11.2020 shall stand adjourned en bloc as per the schedule attached with the Office Order (see the attachment). ­

Earlier, the High Court had decided to resume the physical hearings on a rotational basis by issuing the following notice:

'To begin with, on an experimental basis, around one-fourth of the courts can resume physical functioning on a rotational basis while the rest can continue taking up matters through videoconferencing. A comprehensive plan on the above lines will be prepared by the undersigned and placed before the "Committee for Preparation of Graded Action Plan" and thereafter before the Full Court for consideration.'

It may be noted that on 19^th October the Delhi High Court had informed that the system of hearing the matters before the High Court shall continue up to 30.11.2020 and the cases already listed before the Court up to 12.11.2020 were adjourned as per the schedule mentioned in that Notification.

Further, it may be noted that vide Delhi High Office order dated 08.10.2020, it was informed that:-

"W.E.F. 12th October 2020, two courts of Joint Registrars (Judicial) shall take up the matters through physical mode while the others shall continue to hold court through videoconferencing as per roster to be notified on the website. 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."

Earlier, on 30^th September, the Delhi High Court had ordered that the restrictive functioning would be continued till October 08 in light of the ongoing COVID19 pandemic.

In its earlier orders, the Court has already ordered that all the benches in the High Court shall also endeavour to take up 20 oldest 'Regular/final category matters' pending on their respective boards through video conferencing mode.

The Courts of Registrars and Joint Registrars of the Court shall take up matters listed before them through videoconferencing. However, evidence shall be recorded only in ex-parte and uncontested matters where the same is required to be tendered by way of affidavit.