Gauhati HC Issues SOP on Virtual Hearings, Staff Rosters and Fuel Conservation Effective 25 May 2026
The Gauhati High Court has issued a Standard Operating Procedure mandating Monday and Friday video-conferencing hearings, 50% staff rosters, e-Office file movement, and car-pooling for judges, operative until 26 June 2026.
The Gauhati High Court, acting on a letter dated 15 May 2026 from the Chief Justice of India and an Office Memorandum bearing F. No. 01-04/2022-CBC (E 3203466) dated 12 May 2026 issued by the Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training, has issued Notification No. 32 dated 21 May 2026. The notification sets out a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) covering judicial proceedings, staff management, fuel conservation, and administrative meetings across the Principal Seat, the Outlying Benches, and all district courts under the court's jurisdiction in Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. The SOP takes effect from 25 May 2026 and will remain in force until 26 June 2026, after which it will be reviewed.
Virtual Hearings on Mondays and Fridays
The SOP directs that all matters listed before the courts on Mondays and Fridays will be heard preferably through video-conferencing. VC links are to be provided for all such hearings. Court Masters are made responsible for coordinating with all stakeholders to ensure smooth conduct of proceedings on those days.
All administrative meetings of the different Committees of the court will also be held through video-conferencing. Briefs of those meetings are to be shared with Committee Members by email.
The Judicial Academy, Assam, is separately directed to conduct all its training programmes through virtual or online mode for the duration of the SOP.
Staff Roster and Mandatory e-Office Use
Up to 50% of staff in each administrative and judicial section shall attend office on each alternate day, subject to administrative convenience. Registrars of the respective sections are required to prepare and notify a weekly roster before the start of each week.
Staff on roster who are not physically present must remain available by telephone or mobile and on the e-Office platform during official hours, and must be ready to attend office at short notice if required. Administrative Officers (Judicial) are directed to monitor the e-Office dashboard to ensure timely completion of assigned tasks.
The SOP makes use of the e-Office platform mandatory for all administrative file movements and communications. Physical movement of files is discouraged unless the matter requires physical processing and electronic movement is not otherwise feasible.
Sections Exempted from Work-from-Home Arrangements
The Protocol Section, Filing Section, Copying Section, Bench Section, Computer Section, and the e-Courts Division are expressly exempted from the work-from-home arrangements and fuel conservation measures. The notification explains that these sections require physical coordination and carry a technical mandate to maintain stable video-conferencing and server facilities. They are to remain fully operational on-site to ensure continuity of court proceedings and administrative support.
Fuel Conservation and Vehicle Use
Judges of the Gauhati High Court are encouraged to adopt car-pooling arrangements wherever possible or feasible. For Registry vehicles, use of official vehicles for administrative errands is restricted. Each department or section is directed to club multiple requirements into a single trip where possible.
Administrative Flexibility for Branch Heads
The SOP builds in a degree of operational flexibility. If any competent authority is of the opinion that the roster arrangement is hindering the essential functioning of a specific branch, that authority may modify or restrict the arrangements for that branch, subject to prior approval from the Registrar General.
District Courts and Subordinate Establishments
District Judges, Chief Judicial Magistrates, and Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrates across Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh are directed to publish separate notifications or office orders to give effect to the SOP in their respective districts.
The same obligation is placed on the Presiding Officers of Motor Accident Claims Tribunals, Industrial Tribunals, Labour Courts, Principal Judges of Family Courts, CBI Courts, Special Judges for NIA and CBI matters, and other like establishments under the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court.
The notification has been circulated to a wide range of recipients, including the Advocate Generals of all four states, State Legal Services Authorities, Bar Associations, and all District and Sessions Judges across Assam's districts. The Registrars of the Kohima Bench, Aizawl Bench, and Itanagar Permanent Bench have been requested to circulate the notification to all district judiciaries and Bar Associations in their respective states.
Outcome
Notification No. 32 dated 21 May 2026, bearing reference HC-G/41/2026-CORRESP&RTI-GHC I/472/2026, was issued by the Registrar General of the Gauhati High Court. The SOP came into force on 25 May 2026 and will continue until 26 June 2026, subject to review thereafter.