Virtual hearings on Mondays and Fridays and staggered staff attendance will remain in force till June 26 across the High Court and district judiciary
Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has introduced a temporary hybrid working system, making virtual hearings mandatory on select days and allowing partial work-from-home arrangements for court staff as part of fuel conservation measures.
According to a notification issued by the registrar general, the month-long standard operating procedure (SOP) will take effect from May 25 and continue till June 26, after which the system will be reviewed.
Under the new arrangement, cases listed before the High Court and its outlying benches on Mondays and Fridays will “preferably” be heard through video conferencing. Court Masters have been instructed to coordinate with lawyers and litigants to ensure smooth online proceedings.
The SOP was introduced following communication from the office of the Chief Justice of India and directives issued by the Union Department of Personnel and Training on energy-saving measures.
Additionally, up to 50 per cent of employees in judicial and administrative sections will attend office on alternate days, while staff working remotely must remain accessible through mobile phones and the e-Office platform during working hours.
The High Court has also mandated digital file movement through e-Office and encouraged judges to use car-pooling “wherever feasible” to reduce fuel usage.
However, essential sections including filing, protocol, bench, e-Courts and computer branches have been exempted from the work-from-home system due to operational requirements.
The SOP will also extend to district courts across Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
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