COVID-19: Calcutta High Court to function through hybrid mode till April 30 [Read Notification]

The Calcutta High Court has decided to hold hearings through hybrid mode (both virtual and physical) till April 30 at the principal seat at Kolkata and circuit benches at Jalpaiguri and Port Blair..The said decision was taken by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on the recommendations made by the Covid Committee. Physical appearance and examination of witnesses earlier called for in the suit court have been postponed till April 30 2021. .Other guidelines issued by the notification include a bar on entry of litigants to the Court unless necessary and restrictions on the number of cases taken up per day..Guidelines issued.The following instructions/guidelines have been laid down by the court in regard to the functioning of the court..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 Court shall only entertain applications, motions, admission of appeals and part-heard hearing matters. Other hearing matters shall be listed after 30th April, 2021, on review of the COVID situation. 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. The office bearers of the Bar are further requested to persuade any member having cold, cough or fever to abstain from attending Court. 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. The Members of the Bar are requested to follow the COVID-19 norms.[Read notification]