[COVID-19] Orissa High Court goes into complete shutdown for five days

The Orissa High Court has gone into complete shutdown for five days in view of the unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases in the State and due to the increase in COVID positive cases among High Court staff members. .The High Court and its offices will be completely shut from January 13 to January 17. The offices of the High Court will resume functioning from January 18."It is hereby notified for the general information that in view of the unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases in the State and due to increase in COVID-19 positive cases amongst staff of the High Court, the High Court and its offices shall be completely shutdown from January 13 to January 17 both dates inclusive. The offices of the High Court shall resume functioning on January 18, 2022," an office order issued by the Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court on Wednesday stated.The office order further said that all Benches notified for the five days have been cancelled. When the Court resumes functioning on January 18, it shall operate with two Division Benches and seven single-judges to hear urgent matters and this arrangement will continue till February 4.Cases adjourned to dates between January 18 and February 4 shall be listed from February 7, 2022. Mentioning of routine matters will be avoided till then, it was further stated.A full-court reference which was scheduled for today will now be held virtually at 2 pm on January 18, 2022. .The Orissa High Court had, on January 7 this year decided to hear cases through video conference from January 10 to February 4.The Supreme Court and various High Courts including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Gauhati, Karnataka, Telangana, Patna, Jharkhand, Madras, Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi High Courts have reverted to virtual hearing. .[Read Office Order]