Subordinate courts can proceed with matter on absence of advocate/litigant: HC

The Delhi High Court Tuesday modified its earlier direction and made it clear that from now if an advocate or litigant stays away from the virtual proceedings after being intimated about the case, the concerned subordinate court can proceed in the matter depending on urgency of circumstances.

In an administrative order, the high court said it has reviewed its August 15 office order by which it was directed that the courts subordinate to it shall not pass any adverse order in non-urgent or routine matters where the concerned advocate or litigant is unable to join the proceedings through video conferencing, till the time the physical functioning of the courts is resumed.

The courts are conducting proceedings through video conferencing in a restricted manner since March to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

“The matter has been reviewed by this court and the aforesaid direction (of August 15) stands modified to the extent that if an advocate/ litigant stays away from the virtual proceedings after being intimated that a case would be taken up on a particular date, it be left to the discretion of the concerned court to proceed further in the matter, depending on the urgency and/ or other attending circumstances,” the order said.