Supreme Court Notifies SOP For Resumption Of Physical (Hybrid) Hearing From September 1

The final hearing/regular matters listed on non-miscellaneous days may be heard in the physical mode (with hybrid option).

Final hearing/regular matters where the number of Advocates for the parties are more than the average working capacity of the Court rooms, 20 (approx.), shall be heard through video/tele-conferencing mode.

In case the Court directs hearing of such matters to be held through the physical mode, the appearance of the parties, whether by physical presence or through video/tele-conferencing, will be facilitated.

Additionally, any other matter may be heard in physical mode on such days, if the concerned Bench directs likewise.

All other matters, including those listed on miscellaneous days shall continue to be heard through video/teleconferencing mode.

How to select hearing mode?

In matter listed for physical hearing (with hybrid option), all the Counsels appearing for one party can appear either through physical mode or through video/tele-conferencing.

Advocate(s)-on-Record are required to register themselves on the SCI portal, and submit their preferences for appearing before the Court either through physical mode or through video/teleconferencing mode within 24 hours/1:00 PM next day, after the publication of the Weekly List of Final Hearing/Regular matters.

Once hearing through physical mode is opted by the AOR/petitioner-in-person, hearing through video/tele-conferencing mode to the party concerned will not be facilitated.

Who may enter the Court?

In a matter listed for physical hearing (with hybrid option), one AOR [or his nominee], one Arguing Counsel and one Junior Counsel per party will be allowed entry; one registered Clerk per party, as may be chosen by the AOR, shall be allowed entry to carry paperbooks/journals etc. of the Counsels upto the Court-rooms.

The Entry of the counsels/parties into the HSZ to appear for physical hearing will be through daily "Special hearing passes" which will be issued by the Registry, on the basis of authorization by the concerned Advocate-on-Record on the portal.

Subject to the capacity of any Courtroom, the entry of parties in a matter will be permitted not earlier than ten minutes prior to start of hearing of that matter.

In case of more than one case for physical hearing

Ld. Advocates/ Counsels having more than one case for hearing in physical mode shall be issued separate Special Hearing Pass for each case and after hearing of one case is complete, they may wait in the designated staging/waiting area(s) for the purpose for appearing for the next case;

Further, at the discretion of the Bench, there may be breaks during the hearings in Courtroom in physical mode, for a period of about 15 minutes, so that Courtroom may be sanitized, during which it is necessary that the entire Courtroom be vacated.