Supreme Court to take up only 'urgent matters' amid COVID-19 pandemic

Supreme Court of India, in a circular issued on Saturday, stated that only urgent matters that required short hearings and death penalty cases will be taken up from Monday, April 20 onwards. SC h earlier issued fresh guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOP) to be opted by vocates and litigants during hearing of matters of "extreme urgency".

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'Only urgent matters...'

circular re, "Take tice that short category matters, death penalty matters and matters related to family law, which are rey, maybe listed for hearing through video conferencing mode subject to availability of concerned bench and prior approval of Hon’ble Chief Justice of India."

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While cases that need a short hearing will be heard via video conferencing, review and curative petitions will be heard in judges’ chambers. Review of death penalty cases will be heard in open court.

 Coronavirus crisis

number of total Coronavirus cases in country has climbed to 15,707, while death toll increased to 507. On Saturday evening,  Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) released data stating that 3.72 lakh tests h been conducted till 9 pm, of which 16,365 h come in positive. council conducted 35,494 tests on Saturday and reported 2,154 positive cases of virus. 

country is currently in second phase of nationwide lockdown anunced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14 and will go on till May 3. 

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