In a recent Office Order dated August 15, 2020, the Hon’ble Administrative and General Supervision Committee of Delhi High Court has notified the general public that a comprehensive plan may be evolved for gradual opening of Courts from September 01, 2020 onwards.
The Committee vide the aforesaid Order has further extended the functioning of Delhi High Court and its Subordinate Courts till August 31, 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent spike witnessed of coronavirus cases in NCT of Delhi.[1] The suspension of High Court of Delhi is based on the terms as contained in its order dated July 30, 2020.[2]
The Office Order further notifies new dates of hearing for all the matters listed before the Court from 17.08.2020 to 31.08.2020 as under:
| Date already fixed | New date of Hearing |
| 17.08.2020 (Monday) | 09.10.2020 (Friday) |
| 18.08.2020 (Tuesday) | 12.10.2020 (Monday) |
| 19.08.2020 (Wednesday) | 13.10.2020 (Tuesday) |
| 20.08.2020 (Thursday) | 14.10.2020 (Wednesday) |
| 21.08.2020 (Friday) | 15.10.2020 (Thursday) |
| 24.08.2020 (Monday) | 16.10.2020 (Friday) |
| 25.08.2020 (Tuesday) | 19.10.2020 (Monday) |
| 26.08.2020 (Wednesday) | 20.10.2020 (Tuesday) |
| 27.08.2020 (Thursday) | 21.10.2020 (Wednesday) |
| 28.08.2020 (Friday) | 22.10.2020 (Thursday) |
| 31.08.2020 (Monday) | 23.10.2020 (Friday) |
The Office Order inter alia notifies that:
- The Courts of Registrars and Joint Registrars of Delhi High Court will be hearing matters listed before them through video conferencing, where the files are already scanned.
- Evidence shall be recorded in ex-parte and uncontested matters where the same is required to be tendered by way of affidavit.
- The Courts of Registrars and Joint Registrars of Delhi High Court shall not pass any adverse order in non-urgent/routine matters where the concerned advocate is not able to join the proceedings through video conferencing, till the time the physical functioning of the Courts is resumed.
- The resuming of Courts will be subject to complete availability of public transport and situation in Delhi remaining stable and will be placed before the Committee for Preparation of Graded Action Plan and thereafter before the Full Court for consideration.
- On experimental basis, around one-fourth of the courts can resume physical functioning on a rotational basis while the rest can continue taking up matters through videoconferencing.
[1] http://delhihighcourt.nic.in/writereaddata/Upload/PublicNotices/PublicNotice_Y0WL4KB1Q95.PDF
[2] http://delhihighcourt.nic.in/writereaddata/Upload/PublicNotices/PublicNotice_1KTW5SWXGT5.PDF
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