Chaini Parwani –
Published On: November 18, 2021 at 15:32 IST
The Delhi High Court stated that the Courts in Delhi are bound to follow the Orders passed while permitting Trial Courts to hold Hybrid or Videoconferencing Hearings.
A Bench comprising of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh directed the Delhi Government and the High Court to answer to a Petition alleging that the District Courts are not allowing Hybrid Hearings despite the Orders passed.
The Bench stated “The High Court has already issued directions. They are bound to comply with it.”
The Petition was filed by Advocates Anil Kumar Hajelay and Manashwy Jha who had amongst others pleaded for implementation of Hybrid Hearings in District Courts on physical hearing days due to the COVID-19 threat.
The Petition read that notwithstanding the Court’s Orders on the administrative side that District Courts shall allow Hybrid and Videoconferencing Hearing facilities, which the Subordinate Courts were not obeying.
The Court had previously highlighted the need for Hybrid Hearings in District Courts due to the rise in COVID-19 cases and so that the infrastructure for other Quasi-Judicial bodies would be in place.
The High Court has informed the Delhi Government that if the proposal to set up for Hybrid Hearings is rejected on grounds of expense, the Court will scrutinize expenditure incurred by it on subsidies and public advertisements from April 2020. Furthermore, the Court has directed the Government to take appropriate steps to provide proper infrastructure for the purpose.
Rajasthan High Court Suspends Circular to Resume Hearings in Hybrid Mode
