Virus on prowl again, MHC switches to hybrid hearing from Monday

CHENNAI: With COVID cases on a surge, the Madras High Court will switch to the hybrid mode of hearing cases on a regular basis from April 10, Registrar General (i/c) of the High Court M Jothiraman has announced.

“Given the reports citing the gradual rise in COVID cases, as ordered, the Madras High Court, as a precautionary measure to reduce the footfalls in the court halls and in the court campus, will resort to the hybrid mode of hearing of cases on a regular/daily basis (without restricting to Fridays) both at the Principal Seat at Chennai and Madurai Bench, from April 10 until further orders,” the notification said.

“The members of the Bar and the litigants appearing as party-in-person are advised to utilise the facility of virtual/hybrid hearing of their cases to the best extent possible. The members of the Bar are also requested to make use of the facility made available for the e-filing of cases in all jurisdictions, without limiting it to anticipatory bails, for which it has been made mandatory. All concerned are requested to cooperate for effective implementation of the above arrangement in this regard,” the Registrar General added in the circular.