Gujarat HC issues SOP after toilet use incident during virtual court

Ahmedabad: After the video of a man attending a virtual court hearing while sitting on a toilet seat went viral in June, Gujarat High Court has issued a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for virtual and hybrid hearing of cases enabling a waiting room in its VC application.

Failure to comply with the SOP shall attract contempt of court proceedings, it said. The SOP asked the participants in virtual or hybrid hearings to "present themselves from a place having decent ambiance, which shall not impinge the dignity and decorum of the Court". For those who join the live proceedings through mobiles, have been asked not to leave such place and wander/roam with the instrument/device during the virtual hearing.

The revised SOP underscored that Court proceedings conducted in virtual and hybrid mode are judicial proceedings for all purposes, and all protocols applicable to physical Courts shall apply to them. The SOP also called for professional dressing for the advocates appearing in virtual modes apart from appropriate dressing of the litigants and stated that if the without professional attire, the advocates may face withdrawal of right to audience by the court.


The SOP further asked the participants in virtual mode to "present themselves in a manner befitting the majesty and decorum of the Court" and maintain discipline. While the participants will now have to join a virtual or hybrid hearing will now have to first get into a virtual waiting room and will be admitted into the hearing by the Court Master after verifying their display names as per the cause list, the Court Masters shall remove the participant(s) immediately in case of any indecent behaviour.