Physical hearing of cases in Jharkhand high court will resume from today, three days after district courts in the state began physical hearings, in line with directions issued by the high court’s registrar general last week. Hearings were taking place virtually in courts since March last year when the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
“It has been ordered that the district courts and high court shall resume hearing cases physically from October 1 and 4 respectively,” Gautam Chaudhary, the high court’s registrar general, noted in an order issued on September 30. The order was issued after a decision was taken in this regard at a meeting of the core committee of HC judges, which was also attended by Ritu Kumar, president of Advocates Association, who was present virtually.
During physical hearings, Covid-19 protocols such as maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks will have to be adhered to, Kumar said after the meeting.
According to a report in the Times of India, the move will benefit as many as 35,000 advocates, adding that the high court had been constantly monitoring the Covid-19 situation in the state. Recently, it also directed 50 per cent district courts to hold hearings in a “hybrid” mode, i.e., work both physically and virtually.
(With PTI inputs)
