Surge In COVID-19 Cases: Madras High Court To Hear Cases Only Through Virtual/ Hybrid Mode, Physical Hearings To Discontinue From March 8

Significantly, the Law Officers of Central and State Governments and Standing Counsel for Public Sector Undertakings have been given allowed to appear through physical mode by strictly following the COVID-19 Protocols.

However, all other Advocates/parties-in-person have been directed to appear before the High Court only through Video Conferencing.

This notification containing direction will come into effect from Monday, the 8th March, 2021, until further orders.

Also, the Notification has informed that the entry of all other Advocates, Advocate Clerks, litigants, and parties-in-person inside the High Court premises will be prohibited from 08^th March 2021 and that all the Law Chambers will remain closed from 08^th March 2021.

In response to this order (that Law Chambers will remain closed), the Madras High Court Bar Association has decided to Boycott all the Courts on Monday (08^th March) including all the Tribunals.

Notably, the Supreme Court of India is all set to start hearing cases in a hybrid manner from March 15th, 2021.

The Apex Court has issued several directions and Standard Operating Procedure for Court's functioning in consideration of the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic and suggestions given by the Bar Associations.

Challenging the Apex Court's directions, the Supreme Court Bar Association on Saturday decided to not accept the standard operating procedure for Hybrid court hearings, as issued by the Supreme Court today.

The decision has been taken by the Executive Committee of SCBA in an urgent meeting called on Saturday after the SOP dated 5th March was issued by the Supreme Court.

Also, the Delhi High Court last week asked the Executive Committee of the Delhi High Court Bar Association to constitute a committee for submitting its recommendations on the issue of vaccination to lawyers and hybrid hearings.

A single-judge bench of Justice Pratibha M. Singh ordered the Executive Committee of DHCBA to hold a meeting on 1st March 2021 at 4 PM for discussing the issue and for the constitution of the said Committee.

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