BCI, SCBA reply sought on virtual hearings’ plea

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the view of the Bar Council of India (BCI) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on a petition filed by a group of lawyers demanding virtual court hearings as a matter of fundamental right.

Challenging the move by two high courts – Uttarakhand and Gujarat – for moving towards physical court hearings, the Allindia Association of Jurists, claiming to be a body of 5,000 lawyers practising across the country along with a legal journalist, urged the top court not to discontinue with the present system of virtual court hearing.

The Uttarakhand HC issued an administrative order on August 16 by which virtual court hearing was

NEW DELHI:

stopped. The Gujarat high court issued a similar order on August 6 coming out with a standard operating procedure (SOP) for physical hearing of cases from August 17.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the Association, said, “We are only saying that even if physical court commences, the hybrid mode of hearing (with virtual hearing) should continue. This is in the interest of litigants in getting access to justice, which is recognized to be a fundamental right.”

A three-judge bench led by justice L Nageswara Rao, and comprising justices BR Gavai and BV Nagarathna said: “The BCI and SCBA are impleaded as parties. We issue notice, and we will wait till their response and then we will hear the case.” The bench directed the matter to be heard after four weeks.