Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Thursday announced through a notice on its website that in addition to physical hearings, which began this month as per the new standard operating procedure (SOP) of November 27, it would start hearings in virtual mode from December 14.

The High Court had stopped virtual hearings and started physical hearings on an experimental basis, according to the new SOP of November 27, that had brought the system in effect from December 1. The announcement on Thursday comes 10 days after the court went into the new mode of functioning.

Several benches will now conduct virtual hearings through video-conferencing at least twice a week, starting from December 14, in addition to the ongoing physical hearings. The notice on the High Court website does not specify any reason for the change in mode of functioning.

It may be recalled that senior advocates had expressed reservations about the regular functioning of courts as per the new SOP. They had urged the Chief Justice not to resume physical hearings at least till a vaccine was made available for the public.

Advocates attending physical hearings were required to follow physical distancing and wear masks as part of the precautionary measures.