Delhi High Court to commence physical hearings from November 22

Delhi High Court on Friday, October 29 decided to resume physical hearing in courts from November 22. However, parties will have an option to request for using the video conferencing option. 

The statement issued by Registrar General Manoj Jain said, "It is ordered that there shall be a complete resumption of physical Courts effecting from November 22, while permitting video conferencing hearing where a request to such effect is made by any of the parties or their counsel."

The office order said the Delhi High Court has been pleased to order that the existing mechanism of hearings in this Court shall continue till November 18 and there shall be a complete resumption of physical courts in District courts from November 22.

It also said that the existing mechanism of hearing of matters in the district courts complex shall continue till November 20, added the court order. Earlier, the Delhi High Court on August 31, resumed limited physical hearings after a gap of nearly five months when the second wave of COVID-19 hit the national capital.

After the second wave struck the national capital, the Delhi High Court on April 8, 2021, suspended its physical hearing till April 23 which was later extended from time to time. Earlier on August 24, physical hearings in the district courts in Delhi have resumed in a graded manner. The Delhi High Court has suspended its functioning on March 23, 2020, followed by the government decision to impose lockdown for containing COVID-19.

However, the High Court continued to take up urgent matters through video conferencing and later resumed physical hearing of limited benches.