Delhi: District Court gets summer break early amid surge in COVID-19 cases

As the COVID second wave has still gripped the national capital, the Delhi High Court on Friday preponed the summer vacation for all the District Courts in the national capital.

The vacations will now begin from Monday (May 17) and would continue till June 3.

"In view of the alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and it’s consequent toll on the health and lives of the judicial officers and staff of the District judiciary, the Hon’ble Full Court has been pleased to prepone the Summer Vacation for the District Courts in Delhi for the year 2021 and order that the District Courts (except the Courts of Metropolitan Magistrates) in Delhi will remain closed for Summer Vacation from Monday, 17th May 2021 to Thursday, 3rd June 2021 (both days inclusive)," said a notification from the Delhi High Court. 

"The Courts presided over by the officers of Delhi Judicial Service (except the Courts of Metropolitan Magistrates) shall remain closed for Summer Vacation from 17th May 2021 to 3rd June 2021 (both days inclusive) and the Courts of Metropolitan Magistrate shall remain closed for Summer Vacation from 17th May 2021 to 27th May 2021 (both days inclusive)," it said further. 

The matters listed between the said dates shall be taken up from Monday, 14th June 2021 to Wednesday, 30th June 2021 on the corresponding working days.

In other news, the Delhi High Court on Monday heard several petitions on medical supplies like Oxygen, ICU beds to hospitals in the national capital, and overall COVID-19 management. The matter was heard by the division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rekha Palli. It pulled up the AAP government for the critical situation in the city and issued augment over the number of doctors in the wards and fewer advertisements for volunteer doctors. 

The court asked the Delhi Government that if there are more wards then why are there no doctors to take care of the patients. "What is the point of wards without doctors?" said the bench. 

The court also observed the advertisements by the Delhi Government for inviting volunteer doctors for treating COVID-19 patients only in a few publications. They questioned the government over having full-page ads during elections but having only a few ads in small newspapers during a major medical crisis.