Supreme Court to go on curtailed summer break from Monday; Two division benches to hear urgent matters

The Supreme Court is set to go on curtailed summer vacations from Monday with only two division benches sitting to take up urgent matters to "meet demands of justice".

In May, the top court decided to partially cancel summer vacations between May 18 and June 19, 2020, to allow some courts to take up urgent matters through video conferencing.

From Monday, two division benches, one Court of Judges-in-Chamber and one Registrar court will conduct hearings through video conferencing or tele conferencing mode, a circular issued by the Supreme Court registry stated.

Between June 29 to May 3, 2020, two benches in the whole week i.e., one on June 30, Tuesday and second on July 3, 2020 Friday would assemble, it said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the top court has a limited number of benches taking up urgent matters only since March through video conferencing.

During this period of 57 days of virtual hearings, as many as 7144 cases were heard by the top court. It also passed judgements in 672 cases.

As per the previous schedule, the Supreme Court was to go for summer break between May 18 and July 5.