Lawyers start consultations on return to physical courts

NEW DELHI: Both the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Bar Council of India (BCI) are seeking lawyers’ views on the return to physical courts, though in a limited way, amid pandemic.

The momentum towards restoring physical courts came even as the Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde, asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to convey to the Centre the need of improving the virtual court system by ensuring seamless connectivity. Bobde told Mehta to ask the telecom minister to ensure that the virtual court system works better.

Frustrating the efforts of lawyers and judges, hearings in virtual courts have been plagued by technical glitches. Justice UU Lalit expressed his dissatisfaction with virtual court hearings on Thursday when he referred to the disturbances caused by too many counsels in a case and listed it for further hearing in an open court.


The SCBA headed by senior advocate Dushyant Dave had recently issued a circular seeking suggestions from its members on how the court should resume its proper functioning in a limited manner, while adhering to the lockdown guidelines.

BCI expressed concern over the functioning of virtual courts and sought opinions of all stakeholders. These opinions will be sent to Bobde in a week, said the statement. “On one hand, cases of Covid-19 are increasing and on the other, the problems of litigants and advocates are mounting. Litigants are unable to get justice through...virtual courts.”