HC refuses to entertain plea seeking virtual hearing as 'norm'

New Delhi, March 7 The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking to make the video conferencing hearing a norm on the ground that the threat of Covid-19 pandemic may 'continue for years' and citing all people have not been vaccinated fully.

After hearing the plea, the division bench presided over by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh, dismissed the plea.

Petitioner Advocate Mujeeb Ur Rehman in his petition said the counsels, litigants, parties, and courts should be at liberty to proceed in any matter through virtual courts if the physical appearance is not really necessary.

The plea highlighted that the virtual court proceedings are the optimum use of time and efficiency by both the courts and the counsels which in turn could be utilised to dispose of a maximum number of cases on daily basis and to reduce the huge pendency before the courts and virtual court proceedings are environment conservation by reducing the use of papers.

Pointing out the court's last month's notification on the matter, the plea pointed out that in exceptional circumstances on a case-to-case basis, the court can permit a hybrid video-conferencing hearing.

In view of the rising Covid-19 cases in Delhi amid the third wave of the pandemic, the Delhi High Court and the district courts have been holding hearings only through the virtual mode since January 3.

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