Based on the inputs received, the administrative committee, while finding it appropriate to open physical court hearings by enhancing the number of cases as well as permitting litigants, also directed the principal district judges to increase the number from the present 10 to 20 cases per court. Permission was also granted to take up surrender applications and entertain sureties thereby producing them physically before the magistrate concerned.

However, the official memorandum issued by the high court Registrar General C Kumarappan also sought the courts concerned to impress upon the advocates to avoid unnecessary adjournments and cooperate in recording evidence so that the trials that have been kept in abeyance for long may now progress.

In the Union Territory of Puducherry, owing to the request made by the Chief Judge based on the increase in COVID death rates, the present system of functioning of the courts shall continue, the memorandum held while noting that the restriction is also applicable for Karaikal while Mahe and Yanaram will have full-fledged physical functioning similar to taluk courts in Tamil Nadu.

Also seeking principal district judges to send a report after a week about the status of reserved judgments in respect of all officers, the note sought all the judicial officers to use the service of issuing summons through the latest NSTEP (National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes) app.

The question of opening of bar rooms, chambers, canteens on the premises of the district courts will be considered after assessing the functioning based on the exemptions offered, the note added.