Amid the fifth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, the three judges of the Madras High Court have tested positive for the pandemic and the sequel of the reporting of the cases from the state's top judicial body has led the court's administrative committee to subdue the numbers of hearings with limited benches.

The High court has decided to hear the select cases virtually rather than hearing the cases directly from the high court chambers. According to the reports, only two division benches and three single judges would take up the hearings from Monday - June 8 through video-conferencing and the judges would hear the cases from their respective residences.

The reports say that the decision has been taken to refrain the functioning of the high court and to limit the operations of the court staff and the High Court has barred the entry in its premises till June 30 and the action has come within a week of resuming its operations, after being closed in the wake of the outbreak and lockdown.

During the lockdown period, the judges took up the cases through video-conferencing from their residences. The High court resumed on June 1, when the fifth phase of the lockdown came into effect, and the court re-commenced its operations with 33 benches and the judges heard the cases through video conferencing from the courtrooms.

After the three judges test positive, the court has again suspended its operations and limited the hearings. The order of limiting the cases would also apply for nine district courts that resumed on June 1st after the High court has permitted to re-commence the court hearings. The reports further stated that three judges are currently getting treated at the private hospitals in Chennai.