[Second Covid Wave] Madhya Pradesh High Court To Function Completely Through Virtual Mode At All Benches Till April 24

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has decided to hear all the cases listed from 8th to 24th April through virtual mode of hearing at the Principal Seat Jabalpur and Benches at Indore and Gwalior.

The directions came on Wednesday in view of representations recieved from the Madhya Pradesh High Court Bar Association, Jabalpur, High Court Advocates Bar Association, Jabalpur, State Bar Council of MP, Senior Advocates Council and High Court Bar Associations at Jabalpur, Indore and Gwalior.

The said directions further modify the earlier SOPs and Additional SOPs issued in this regard dated 11th February 2021 and 3rd April 2021.

An additional SOP was issued by last week for the functioning at Principal Seat at Jabalpur and other Benches at Indore and Gwalior as well as in District Courts in view of the increase in Covid-19 cases and prevalent pandemic situation in the State. According to the said SOP, it was decided that the virtual hearing shall be encouraged regardless of the age of advocates or litigants who wish to appear by virtual mode for hearing in their respective cases.

According to the new directions issued, it has been decided that the Court, at all the three benches shall be hearing matters completely through virtual hearing thereby restricting any physical hearing in the Court.

Moreover, it has also been directed that no case files shall be accepted physically through filing counters of Presentation Centres in all the three benches. In addition to this, the SOP states:

"It has been observed that the mention memos are being filed for urgent listing of cases without assigning any specific reasons for extreme/ genuine urgency. Therefore, Advocates/ litigants are requested to file mention memos only by assigning specific, correct and detailed reasons only in those cases, which involve extreme and genuine urgency."

Furthermore, the directions state that with effect from 8th April (Thursday) mention memos in physical form, dropped in Drop Boxes, shall be received between 10:30 AM to 11:00AM only.

However, it has been directed that e-mentioning facility shall be available between the said time through "Jitsi Video Conference Platform".

Click Here To Read SOP