CJI, SC judges takes round of apex court corridor, welcome lawyers for physical hearing

Taking note of the improved pandemic situation, the apex court has come out with a revised SOP for the resumption of physical hearings from April 4.
Supreme Court (Photo| Shekhar Yadav, EPS)
Supreme Court (Photo| Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana along with other judges on Monday took a round of the Supreme Court corridor to welcome lawyers before the commencement of a physical hearing which was hit due to COVID-19 pandemic over two years ago in March 2020.

Taking note of the improved pandemic situation, the apex court has come out with a revised SOP (standard operating procedures) for the resumption of physical hearings from April 4.

"Today, after a gap of over two years, the Supreme Court proceedings resumed in full physical mode. It may be recalled that, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical hearings were replaced by virtual hearings...," a statement issued on Monday said.

The apex court, which had resorted to hearing through video-conferencing in March 2020, has been revising its SOP keeping in mind the Covid situation in the country.

The apex court, on February 7, had decided to revive its Modified Standard Operating Procedure and had said all the matters listed on Wednesdays and Thursdays would be heard in the physical presence of lawyers and litigants in courtrooms only.

Prior to this, the top court, in the first week of January, had taken note of the sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 cases and had decided to hear all matters in virtual mode from January 7.

The circular had said that all the benches will sit at the residential offices.

The top court has been hearing cases through video-conferencing and later through hybrid mode since March 2020 due to the pandemic.

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