Chennai is one of the 75 districts affected by COVID-19 confirmed cases, therefore state legal machinery immediately pressed into action to take the legitimate steps required to curtail the spread of the virus. The directions about the functioning of the High Court and the subordinate court is modified in view of the Corona Virus pandemic as mentioned in the circular dated March 23, 2020, given below. The subordinate judiciary too has been directed to issue dates and adjourn the matter for three weeks unless there is an extremely urgent matter to be taken upon the request of the counsel and discretion of the court.
The High Court of Madras will function with two division benches one for civil and one for criminal and 5 single judges benches to hear the most urgent matters-3 on the Criminal side, 2 on Civil side. Lawyers have been directed not to operate from their chambers in court and not to invite litigants unless very urgent.
