Gujarat subordinate courts begin physical hearing of cases

Subordinate courts in Gujarat resumed physical hearing of cases from Monday after the High Court directed them to operate in this mode with strict adherence to social distancing and other standard operating procedures. In a circular issued last week, the HC had directed subordinate courts to function physically with regular working hours from Monday, with only those courts in micro containment zones told to hear cases in online mode.

Physical hearings in courts in Gujarat were cancelled last year in view of a spike in COVID-19 cases.

In November, however, all courts, except those in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot and Surat, were allowed to resume physical hearing of cases.


From March 1 this year, the HC had also allowed courts in these four cities, except those located in micro containment zones, to hear cases physically.

In April, after a severe spike in cases during the second wave, physical hearings were again shelved.

Meanwhile, the HC also started regular functioning from Monday, though in virtual mode, after restricting itself in the second week of April to hearing only urgent matters.

Gujarat reported Gujarat recorded 848 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking its tally to 8,16,234.