MP: HC starts virtual hearings; to continue till April 24

The Madhya Pradesh High Court started hearing matters virtually on Thursday and will continue to do so till April 24 due to the surge in coronavirus cases in the state.

High Court registrar general Rajendra Kumar Vani issued a directive to this effect on Wednesday.

"All cases listed from April 8 to 24 shall be heard only through virtual hearings at the principal seat Jabalpur and benches at Indore and Gwalior," the notice said.

No physical hearings will be conducted, it was stated.

As per the directive, no case files will be accepted physically through filing counters at the principal seat Jabalpur and benches at Indore and Gwalior.

Apart from e-filing, drop boxes have been provided near presentation centres, hence advocates, registered clerks and litigants who wish to physically file petitions, cases or loose documents (interlocutory application, return, reply, rejoinder, caveat, affidavit, covering memo, power, etc) can do so by using drop boxes, it was stated.

The High Court administration issued the directions in view of the representations received from members of the State Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh, High Court Bar Associations of Jabalpur, Gwalior and Indore.

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 4,043 fresh coronavirus cases that took the tally of infections to 3,18,014, of which 4,086 have died of the infection.