WHAT was earlier an absolute exception has become a new common for the commons— judicial proceedings through video conferences to ensure functionality in the time of the corona pandemic.
All courts were closed around the globe between March-April 2020 and it was a challenging moment for the judiciary to offer a reasonable and sufficient level of judicial dispensation. In no time, an alternative model was put in place with the uptake of video courts.
The Supreme Court’s e-committee, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, understood the dynamics of the complex situation and seized the opportunity of technological transformation through virtual courts. The herculean task for the e-committee was not only to convert the physical court into a digital one, but to convert the mindset of lawyers from the concept of classical courts to the new virtual life. An unaccustomed system was called into their professional life with a different set of rules.
It has given them more problems than solutions. Some lawyers sat for an indefinite strike for a short period of time and some filed cases before the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court for resumption of physical hearings. Amidst all these views, the e-committee continued its efforts to upgrade the system swiftly.
Since the introduction of virtual courts, around one crore cases have been handled by the judiciary from March 2020 to May 2021 through video courts. The e-committee, by the publication of the draft model rules of live stream and recording, invited various suggestions from May 28 from all stakeholders. If it is implemented with precision and perfection, it will be a landmark achievement towards transparency.
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