Kerala High Court, District Courts to resume physical hearing of cases from November 22

The Kerala High Court and district courts in the State will resume physical hearing of cases from Monday, November 22.

Courts in the State have been functioning virtually through video conference platforms since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020.

The decision regarding High Court was taken at a meeting of the full court of High Court and a notice communicating the decision was issued on Saturday.

"The causelists published for November 22, 2021 will be taken up in physical courts in the respective courts/ chambers shown in the list," the notice said.

The hearing in all district courts will also be via physical mode from November 22.

An office memorandum regarding the same was issued on November 19.

The Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA) had earlier written to the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court requesting that physical hearings at the High Court and all subordinate courts in the State be resumed from November 1, 2021.

The KHCAA had subsequently, organised a protest meet on November 1 against the non-resumption of physical hearings at the High Court and subordinate courts in the State.

On November 2, a meeting of the Committee for Redressal of Grievances of Advocates' Associations/Lawyers, Kerala High Court Advocates' Clerks' Association and staff members of the High Court was held to deliberate on the suggestions received from various parties and advocates' associations on restoration of regular physical sitting at the Court.

According to a notification issued by the KHCAA later the same day, it was decided to resume physical hearings within a period of two weeks but to insist on vaccination certificates for all persons entering the court premises.