Three single Judge Benches functioned as virtual courts in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, in a bid to improve work-efficiency during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Justices Krishna Murari, S. Ravindra Bhat and Hrishikesh Roy, sitting as three separate single Judge Benches, heard and passed orders in 20 transfer pleas through video conferencing.
The court had on May 11 announced its decision to have its judges sitting alone instead of in the usual combinations of twos and threes from May 13 to hear bail, anticipatory bail and transfer cases. According to a notice, besides other amendments the competent authority has provided that certain categories of matters may be “heard and disposed of finally by a judge sitting singly nominated by the Chief Justice.”
The single Judge Benches will hear Special Leave Petitions arising out of grant, dismissal or rejection of bail application or anticipatory bail application under various sections of CrCP.
