Supreme Court to commence hybrid physical hearing of cases from March 15

The Supreme Court which is hearing cases through videoconferencing since March last year due to the COVID19 pandemic will commence hybrid physical hearing from March 15 The apex court has issued the standard operating procedure SOP for the hybrid physical hearingsThe top court has been hearing cases through videoconferencing since March last year due to the pandemic and several bar bodies and lawyers have been demanding that physical hearings should resume immediatelyOn an experimental basis and as a pilot scheme the final hearingsregular matters listed on Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays may be heard in the hybrid mode as may be decided by the bench considering the number of parties in a matter as well as the limited capacity of the courtrooms all other matters including those listed on Mondays and Fridays shall continue to be heard through videoteleconferencing mode said the SOP issued by the apex courtThe hybrid physical hearings are to commence with effect from March 15 2021 it addedIt said unless otherwise directed by a bench the final hearings or regular matters where the number of lawyers for the parties is higher than the average working capacity of the courtrooms according to COVID19 norms that is 20 per courtroom at any given time shall invariably be listed for hearing through the video or teleconferencing modehowever in case the bench directs hearing of such matters to be held through the hybrid mode the appearance of the parties whether by physical presence or through videoteleconferencing will be facilitated as per the directions of the bench the SOP saidIt said if the number of parties is higher than the specified number in a matter listed for hybrid hearing then one advocateonrecord AOR and one arguing counsel per party would be allowed entryIt said one registered clerk per party as may be chosen by the AOR shall be allowed entry to carry paperbooks or journals of lawyers up to the courtroomsIn any such matter as may be listed for hybrid hearing all the counsels appearing for one party can appear either through physical presence or through videoteleconferencing it saidThe SOP said AORs may submit their preferences for appearing before the court either physically or through the video or teleconferencing mode within 24 hours or by 1 pm the next day after the publication of the weekly list of final hearings or regular mattersIf the advocateonrecord for a party does not opt for either mode ie physical or videoteleconferencing mode it shall be presumed that counsels for the party seek to appear through videoteleconferencing mode and will be facilitated accordingly it saidIn case of a matter directed to be listed for hybrid hearing by the bench none of the parties opts for physical hearing the matter would be taken up for hearing through videoteleconferencing the SOP saidIt said entry into the highsecurity zone of the apex court through proximity cards or longterm passes shall be kept suspended till further ordersEntry of counselsparties or such other stakeholders to appear inside courtrooms for hybrid hearings will be through daily special hearing passes which will be issued by the registry on the basis of authorisation by the concerned advocate on record it addedThe SOP said subject to the capacity of a courtroom the entry of parties in a matter will be permitted not earlier than 10 minutes prior to the start of the hearing of the matterIt may be noted that wearing of masks frequent use of hand sanitiser and maintaining physicaldistancing norms are mandatory for all entrants into the Supreme Court premises including into the courtrooms it saidAdvocatescounsels having more than one case for hybrid hearings in the courtrooms shall be issued separate special hearing passes for each case and after the hearing of one case is complete they may wait in the designated stagingwaiting areas for the purpose of appearing for the next hearings it saidThe SOP added that in order to facilitate video or teleconferencing for advocates a dedicated VC facilitation centre is there in the additional building complex of the apex courtThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever