The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court which had only recently resumed staggered open court functioning will now hear urgent and emergent matters only via video conferencing from Monday, after three of its judges in the Principal seat in Chennai and one judge in the High Court’s Madurai Bench tested positive for COVID-19.
According to a High Court notification, in the High Court Bench, one Division Bench and three Single Judges will hear cases through video conferencing from their residences for the time being till June 30. The working of the court staff will also be minimum.
In view of the decision taken by the Administrative Committee of the Madras High Court, filing of cases will be made through e-mail only. Requests for urgent motion shall be made through e-mail thamilj1968@gmail.com to the Registrar (Judicial), High Court Bench, who in turn will place the matter before the portfolio judges concerned and the matter will be listed subject to the convenience of the judges.
Apart from the High Court Judge in the Madurai Bench, the judge’s personal security officer has also tested positive for COVID-19. Following this, the High Court Bench campus was sanitised and disinfected. The advocate chambers on the court campus have also been closed.