SC says virtual courts good during times of social distancing

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that open court hearings are not a right, and that virtual courts were as good as open courts during a pandemic which demanded that congregations be avoided and social distancing be practised and must be facilitated.

Despite the resistance and the technological challenges, virtual courts by saving time, money and energy of litigants and lawyers could be game-changers too.

The court said that it had already taken care of the technical end by providing for a data connection of uninterrupted bandwidth of 100 mbps but now it was up to litigants and lawyers to ensure that they have appropriate bandwidth (ideally 2mbps and above) installed and available through a dedicated 4G connection/wi-fi dongles.


Despite guidelines to all expecting remote point users to have video-conferencing through desktop, laptop/tablets with dedicated 4G connections, advocates are trying to have video conferencing through mobile phones despite cautioning them that any notification would interrupt proceedings, the note said.

Proceedings in the virtual courts were also open in every sense of the term except that they do not require the physical presence of all parties, counsels and the media at the same time under a single roof, a note released to the press said.