Delhi HC to take up urgent matters through video conferencing from today

New Delhi, May 22: The Delhi High Court has decided that from Friday all its judges will sit everyday to take up "urgent matters of all kinds" via video conferencing.

The step follows the high court and the lower courts together having taken up 20,726 urgent matters during the COVID-19 related lockdown from March 24 to May 19.

"As per the latest initiative taken by Chief Justice D N Patel and other Judges of the High Court of Delhi, now, w.e.f. May 22, 2020, all the division benches and all the single-judge benches shall take up urgent matters of all kinds, through video conferencing, during the suspended functioning of the Court."

"All such benches would sit daily on all the working days," said a note, issued by the office of high court Registrar General Manoj Jain.

Till now, urgent matters were being taken up by two division benches and ten single-judge benches, but the judges of these benches were sitting on rotation basis.

There are presently seven division benches and 19 single-judge benches in the high court.

The note further said that the roster benches would also take up the matters which are at the stage of final arguments and in which consent has been received from both the sides agreeing for disposal of case on the basis of written submissions alone.

It also said that the existing procedure of mentioning of urgent matters, via weblink before joint registrar concerned, would continue to be in force till further orders.

"Non-urgent matters shall be taken up by the roster benches on resumption of regular hearings and as per the order of Chief Justice," it also said.

The seven division benches and 19 single-judge benches are also referred to as roster benches as each of them deal with cases based on specific categories (or roster) decided by the Chief Justice.