Supreme Court To Hear Urgent Cases Via Video Conferencing

The Supreme Court led by the Chief Justice of India, on Monday, decided to hold proceedings via video conferencing in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. In a first, the Supreme Court decided to do away with physical appearance of lawyers and litigants. Moreover, media reports stated that the apex court will hear urgent matters once a week. In the backdrop of COVID-19 spread, the Supreme Court has had to take these measures.

The Supreme Court has decided thereby to put a stop to physical courtrooms. With lawyers and litigants not required to be physically present, only urgent matters will be taken up for hearing once a week through video conferencing, media reports said.

Lawyers will have to approach the mentioning officer who will then decide the priority of the case and whether it is to be heard by the apex court, it was stated. Only urgent matter will then get listed for hearing, as per media networks.

Lawyers' chambers in the apex court have been asked to be vacated and are to be sealed by Tuesday evening as per the instructions of the Chief Justice of India.

The apex court was scheduled to take up hearing on a petition seeking directions for the eviction of Shaheen Bagh protesters demonstrating against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) since December 15, 2019.