The Delhi High Court has ordered all proceedings at the Patiala House and Rouse Avenue court complexes to be conducted virtually on Saturday, 10 October, amid an announced protest by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar. The move comes alongside a Delhi Traffic Police warning that movement could be affected on 30 roads, nearby routes and flyovers across the national capital.
According to a notification issued by the Delhi High Court on Friday, judicial work at the two court complexes will take place only through online hearings on 10 October. Judicial officers who are unable to reach their respective courtrooms may also conduct proceedings virtually under the arrangement.
The notification provides protection for parties who cannot attend hearings in person. If a plaintiff, advocate, witness, respondent, accused or other party is unable to appear before any of Delhi’s district courts, no adverse order will be passed in the relevant matter on that date. Urgent cases may instead be adjourned for a short period, according to the order.
Undertrial prisoners will also be produced through virtual means only at the Patiala House and Rouse Avenue court complexes. The arrangement is intended to avoid physical movement to the affected court premises while allowing scheduled judicial work to continue online.
The remaining district court complexes in Delhi are expected to function normally. The city has seven district court complexes in total, and the High Court’s direction specifically identifies Patiala House and Rouse Avenue for fully virtual proceedings on Saturday.
The court order coincides with a traffic advisory issued by the Delhi Traffic Police in connection with the planned protest. The advisory states that diversions may be introduced from 6 am on 10 October, depending on traffic conditions and the situation on the ground.
The locations identified as likely to experience disruption include Shankar Road–Vande Mataram T-Point, Dhaula Kuan flyover, Jhandewalan, Panchkuian Road, Mandi House, Dr Dinesh Nandini Dalmia Chowk, Ram Charan Aggarwal Chowk near ITO, Minto Road–Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, Guru Nanak Chowk and the Connaught Place outer circle–Chelmsford Road T-Point.
Traffic may also be affected near the Bhairon Road–MGM Ring Road T-Point, Lodhi Road flyover, Neela Gumbad roundabout, Madrasa T-Point, Samrat Hotel roundabout, the Sardar Patel Marg–Panchsheel Marg crossing, the underpass near Bhikaji Cama Place, the area below Moti Bagh flyover, the Ring Road–San Martin Marg T-Point, Ashoka Road–Jantar Mantar Road roundabout and Windsor Place roundabout.
The traffic police has advised that route diversions will depend on conditions on 10 October. Commuters travelling through central Delhi, court districts and roads leading towards Jantar Mantar may therefore face changes in movement during the day. The High Court’s virtual-hearing arrangement and the traffic advisory are both scheduled for Saturday, 10 October.
