4 SC Judges Test Covid-19 Positive, SC To Move To Virtual Hearings

At least four Supreme Court judges have tested positive for Covid-19, officials confirmed on Sunday as more than 150 staff members have also either tested positive or are under quarantine.

Out of a total workforce of 32 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, four tested positive taking the positivity rate to 12.5 percent. Two of them had tested positive on Thursday.

A judge, who reportedly had a fever, attended the farewell party of Justice R Subhash Reddy on Tuesday and later returned a positive result.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana and four other senior judges held a meeting on the ongoing pandemic situation on Thursday.

"Unfortunately, again the problem has started and we are also conscious of this…. It seems we may not be able to hear cases through physical mode for the next four to six weeks," CJI Ramana had said.

Notably, the Supreme Court had switched to virtual hearings for two weeks as the nation witnessed a rise in Covid-19 cases. The benches were advised to sit at the residential offices according to a circular.

The circular further mentioned that only those cases marked extremely urgent 'mentioned' matters, fresh matters, bail matters, matters involving stay, detention matters, and fixed date matters will be listed before the courts from January 10 till further orders.

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