Over 200 Advocates from across the Bar have made a representation before the Committee of the Hon’ble Judges, requesting the Committee to continue hearings through Video Conferencing and defer the physical hearings, until discovery of a Covid cure/ vaccine.
Last month, the SCBA and SCAORA passed a joint Resolution seeking resumption of physical hearings in the Supreme Court. The Resolution highlighted “severely constrained” functioning of Courts in Virtual Capacity due to the Coronavirus induced pandemic situation.
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On the other hand, the representation made before the Committee states that under the present circumstances requiring social distancing , higher number of cases can be decided through video conferencing mode and not physical hearings.
“In our most humble view, the video conferencing is the only viable method for effecting efficient safe functioning of the Court until there is cure or vaccine against COVID-19. It is very clear that higher number of cases can be decided through video conferencing mode under the present circumstances,” the letter states.
Earlier, CJI Bobde had informed that a 7-judge Committee will be looking into the issue of resumption of physical court hearings. Later, on August 6, Justice UU Lalit indicated that there might be a possibility of resuming physical hearings in limited matters after a period of 2 weeks.
These Advocates have expressed variance with the view taken by the SCBA and SCAORA on resumption of physical hearing, given the “risk of transmission” of infection to Court Rooms.
Read the letter here:
