In 100 days of virtual hearing, SC takes up 15,000 cases

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 20

As courts function in virtual mode via video conferencing due to COVID-19, the Supreme Court has disclosed that it took up more than 15,000 cases and disposed of around 4,300 of them in the last 100 days since March 23.

According to data released by the top court, 15,596 cases were taken on board -- 10,754 main cases and 3,419 connected matters and 1,423 matters listed before courts of Registrars.

It has been disclosed that 686 writ petitions filed under Article 32 of the Constitution directly before the top court were also heard till August 4. 

The court revealed that 1,021 Benches constituted and 879 sittings had been held by various Benches with about 50,475 advocates appearing before them via video conferencing between March 23 and August 4.

This was despite the fact that the top court Registry initially worked at 30% of its staff strength and about 125 employees and their immediate family members tested COVID-19 positive.

About 65,000 advocates, litigants and journalists attended the video conference hearings and 6,124 cases were filed, including 2,930 e-filings. As many as 8,023 documents were e-filed.

Registry officials claimed 18 cases were heard from March 24 to August 17 by the UK Supreme Court, and 29 cases were decided between March 18 and August 17. In the US, 74 cases were heard by the Supreme Court between March 30 and August 17 and 44 cases were decided while in the European Union court, 57 cases were decided between March 16 and August 17.