Four Supreme Court judges Covid-19 positive

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, April 22

COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting the functioning of the Supreme Court which has been functioning in virtual mode for more than a year.

After the news about a large number of court staff having been infected with COVID-19, there are reports that four judges of the Supreme Court of India have tested positive for COVID-19.

One of them was admitted to AIIMS here and he is said to be recuperating well.

As COVID-19 cases show a sudden spike, the Supreme Court has already decided to take up only urgent matters from Thursday. In view of the prevailing COVID situation, the matters shown in the final cause lists of miscellaneous matters and regular hearing matters for April 22 would stand adjourned, it had announced.

In view of the April 24 function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan for the swearing in of Justice NV Ramana as the next CJI, the Supreme Court administration has sent 15 judges’ names to a COVID19 testing lab for the RT-PCR test, sources said. It’s required that those attending the ceremony are COVID19 negative.

All staff members at the official residence of Supreme Court Judge MR Shah had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus around 10 days back.

Justice Shah, who was part of the Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud, had said on April 12 that, “With the God’s grace I am perfectly okay… but things are getting scary.”

Earlier, 44 staffers of the Supreme Court had tested COVID19 positive, affecting the functioning of the Supreme Court.

The current number of COVID19 positive staff in the Supreme Court is much higher, sources said.