Calcutta HC to hold hearings through hybrid mode till April 30 amid COVID-19 surge

By ANI
KOLKATA: In view of the recent surge in the COVID-19 cases, the Calcutta High Court, on the recommendation of its Covid Committee, on Thursday decided to hold hearings through hybrid mode (both physical and virtual) from April 12 to 30, 2021 at principal seat at Kolkata and circuit benches at Jalpaiguri and Port Blair.

A notification issued by the Court said, “Proceedings shall be held physically or virtually or in a hybrid of the two modes as per existing Notifications. Physical appearance and examination of witnesses in the suit court are postponed to a date after 30th April, 2021, subject to review of the COVID situation.”

The notification further stated that the Court shall only entertain applications, motions, admission of appeals and part-heard hearing matters, adding that other hearing matters shall be listed after April 30, 2021, on review of the COVID situation.

“Litigants are not permitted to enter the Court premises unless they have to appear in person or summoned by the Court. However, the litigants are permitted limited access on the ground floor for attestation of affidavits”, it said.

As per the notification, matters in the list of each Bench except the Benches dealing with bail and anticipatory bail application should be around 60.

“The Office bearers of the Bar are requested to advise their members to leave Court immediately after the matter in which they are appearing physically, is over. They are further requested to persuade any member having cold, cough or fever to abstain from attending Court.” it further read.

The Members of the Bar are requested to follow the COVID-19 norms, it added.

Meanwhile, India witnessed the highest single-day spike of new Covid-19 cases, for the third consecutive day, after reporting over 1.31 lakh cases on Friday.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the country recorded 1,31,968 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. With this fresh surge, the total number of infections has reached 1,30,60,542.

With 780 new Covid-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the toll in the country has mounted to 1,67,642.

Currently, there are 9,79,608 active cases in the country.

As many as 61,899 people were discharged or recovered on Thursday taking the total number of recoveries to 1,19,13,292.