Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha infected, Punjab and Haryana High Court suspends physical hearing

Chandigarh, April 17

Amid an increase in Covid-19 cases and reports of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha testing positive for the virus, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today suspended physical hearing of cases. The High Court also made it clear that the District and Sessions Judges across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh would take a call on the mode of hearing cases after taking into consideration the prevailing local conditions.

The High Court also made it clear that Chief Justice Jha would not be holding the court for at least two days from Monday. A note in the list of cases to be heard on Monday said: “Hon’ble Chief Justice will not be holding the court on April 19, 2021, and April 20, 2021, as his lordship has tested positive for Covid-19”. As of now, two more judges are down with Covid.

An order issued later during the day said the Administrative Committee of the High Court has resolved that all the Benches would hear the cases through video-conference from April 19 for the time being.

The order added the decision was taken by the Administrative Committee in consultation with the Additional Solicitor-General of India, the Advocates-General of Punjab and Haryana, UT senior standing counsel, the president and secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Chandigarh, and the president of the Senior Advocates’ Bar Association.— TNS