<p dir="auto">A total of 1,021 Supreme Court benches took up as many as 15,996 matters and disposed off appropriately 4300 cases during virtual hearings between March 23 and August 19.</p>.<p dir="auto">A fact sheet released by the top court stated that as many as 50,475 advocates appeared before to the virtual courts during "unprecedented challenge with the onset of Covid-19 pandemic".</p>.<p dir="auto">The rapid pace of spreading of the virus triggered national lockdown, institutional quarantines and other aggressive measures, aimed at breaking the chain of the spreading virus. The public institutions, which ran at well-established practices and traditions, were challenged the most during the period.</p>.<div dir="auto"><p dir="auto">"In such a backdrop, the Supreme Court had to respond with greater speed to keep its functionality unbroken and unaffected even during the national lockdown. The core functionality of open court hearings was immediately crippled by the onset of the pandemic," sources said.</p><p dir="auto">During the period, the Supreme Court Registry worked at 30% of its staff strength and could only scale up to the strength of 50% during the unlock phase as public transport continued to remain operational at the minimal scale. </p><div dir="auto"><p dir="auto">Further, about 125 number of Registry staff and their immediate family members also got infected with the virus but fortunately, there have been no fatalities involved, they said. </p><p dir="auto">"In all of this, the Supreme Court did not stop functioning throughout this entire period though some preferences were accorded to urgent issues. The Registry has not been shut down even for a day from March 16, 2020, till date," they pointed out.</p></div></div>.<p dir="auto">Dedicated media rooms were also established, allowing approximately 30 media persons may see the proceedings live in the top court's premises.</p>.<div dir="auto"><p dir="auto">In comparative analysis with other countries, sources said in the United Kingdom, a total of 18 cases were heard between March 24 and August 17 and 29 cases were decided between March 18 and August 17. In the USA, as many as 74 cases were heard and 44 were decided between March 30 and August 17.</p></div>
<p dir="auto">A total of 1,021 Supreme Court benches took up as many as 15,996 matters and disposed off appropriately 4300 cases during virtual hearings between March 23 and August 19.</p>.<p dir="auto">A fact sheet released by the top court stated that as many as 50,475 advocates appeared before to the virtual courts during "unprecedented challenge with the onset of Covid-19 pandemic".</p>.<p dir="auto">The rapid pace of spreading of the virus triggered national lockdown, institutional quarantines and other aggressive measures, aimed at breaking the chain of the spreading virus. The public institutions, which ran at well-established practices and traditions, were challenged the most during the period.</p>.<div dir="auto"><p dir="auto">"In such a backdrop, the Supreme Court had to respond with greater speed to keep its functionality unbroken and unaffected even during the national lockdown. The core functionality of open court hearings was immediately crippled by the onset of the pandemic," sources said.</p><p dir="auto">During the period, the Supreme Court Registry worked at 30% of its staff strength and could only scale up to the strength of 50% during the unlock phase as public transport continued to remain operational at the minimal scale. </p><div dir="auto"><p dir="auto">Further, about 125 number of Registry staff and their immediate family members also got infected with the virus but fortunately, there have been no fatalities involved, they said. </p><p dir="auto">"In all of this, the Supreme Court did not stop functioning throughout this entire period though some preferences were accorded to urgent issues. The Registry has not been shut down even for a day from March 16, 2020, till date," they pointed out.</p></div></div>.<p dir="auto">Dedicated media rooms were also established, allowing approximately 30 media persons may see the proceedings live in the top court's premises.</p>.<div dir="auto"><p dir="auto">In comparative analysis with other countries, sources said in the United Kingdom, a total of 18 cases were heard between March 24 and August 17 and 29 cases were decided between March 18 and August 17. In the USA, as many as 74 cases were heard and 44 were decided between March 30 and August 17.</p></div>
