The Delhi High Court on Monday said it will continue to hold court proceedings using videoconferencing system till July 23 in view of the looming threat of the Delta Plus variant of the COVID-19.
“Considering the threat of Delta Plus, a variant of concern (VoC), the full court has, therefore, resolved to adopt a policy of wait and watch, and to act cautiously, particularly in view of the loss of precious lives of judicial officers, advocates and court staffers,” the High Court said.
Hearing dates
The order, released by Registrar General Manoj Jain, also said that all the pending routine or non-urgent matters listed in the High Court between July 3 and July 23 shall be adjourned en bloc to corresponding dates between August 21 and September 9.
A similar order was passed by the High Court with regard to the functioning of district courts here, stating that all the judicial officers shall take up urgent matters and ‘final arguments cases’ of their respective courts through videoconferencing till July 23 while the order matters shall be adjourned.
Utmost precaution
The administrative order said that despite decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in the national capital, utmost precaution needs to be taken in view of the predicted third wave and limited availability of vaccines. The order also advised the stakeholders to get themselves vaccinated at the earliest.
After the imposition of the first nationwide lockdown, the High Court started conducting hearings through videoconferencing from March 24 last year to contain the spread of the pandemic.
Over five months later, the High Court resumed physical hearing of court proceedings initially with five of its Benches on a rotation basis from September 1. The number of Benches conducting physical hearing was increased gradually.
The HC later commenced complete physical functioning from March 15 this year, which was interrupted due to the second wave of the COVID-19. In April, taking a serious view of the “alarming rise in COVID-19 cases” in the Capital, the High Court decided to take up court proceedings through virtual mode only from April 9.
