PHYSICAL HEARINGS MAY RESUME AFTER DIWALI BREAK: CJI NV RAMANA
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said on 21st October that Supreme Court may resume physical hearings after Diwali break on a 'larger scale'. During a case hearing when Senior Counsels Ranjit Kumar and Rakesh Dwivedi thanked him for resuming physical hearing of cases in a limited manner.
"After Diwali, we may start it on a larger scale," the CJI said. The Court will go on Diwali break from November 1 to November 6. The apex court is currently sitting physically only on Wednesdays and Thursdays during non-miscellaneous days.
In its recently issued SOPs for hybrid hearings, the Top Court made new rules stating that all cases on Wednesdays and Thursdays are to be heard only via physical mode in the presence of the Counsels/Parties in Courtrooms. The Supreme Court Bar Association had urged the Chief Justice to return to the physical mode of hearing since the COVID-19 cases have decreased considerably.
On the other hand, senior lawyers like Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior advocate Kapil Sibal among others had urged Chief Justice of India N V Ramana not to make the physical hearings mandatory. The CJI then said that he will discuss this issue with his brother and sister judges and take a call.