[COVID-19] Bombay High Court Principal Bench to continue physical hearing till April 18

The Bombay High Court has notified that it will continue hearing matters physically at the Principal Bench despite expressing the need to reduce the physical presence of lawyers and litigants due to COVID-19..The new notice issued by the Registrar General reiterates the case assignments and sitting lists as per previous notices, and at the same time, states that precautionary measures have to be taken given the rise in COVID-19 cases..A total of 25 benches will sit physically at the Principal Bench from April 5 to April 18. 10 division benches and 15 single-judge benches have been notified..The notice comes after a meeting convened by Chief Justice Dipankar Datta on March 28 to deliberate on holding court proceedings via hybrid mode in view of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai..The meeting was held after the Bombay Bar Association sent a representation to the Chief Justice asking that hearings be permitted to take place in hybrid mode. .This proposal was vehemently opposed by others at the meeting, but the final decision was deferred till April 5, 2021. .Meanwhile, the Court decided to conduct a COVID-10 vaccination drive for its judges and their spouses (above the age of 45 years) at the Principal Bench from April 2 to 4. This drive will also be extended to lawyers, their spouses, and office staff of the lawyers above the age of 45 years..The High Court had notified that most benches would commence hearing hearing matters physically from December 1, 2020. .Subsequently, a representation was addressed by the Bombay Bar Association making a request to continue hearing matters through video conferencing or switch to hybrid hearings..However, an order issued by the Registrar General of the High Court that the High Court will continue with physical hearings which had commenced on December 1 noting that there has been no incident of concern with such hearings up until now..The Nagpur and Aurangabad Benches are presently conducting hearings through video conferencing. However the Principal Bench has continued physical hearing since December 1, 2020..[Read notice dated April 1, 2021 here]