The Supreme Court of India suo moto modified its own guidelines dated April 6, 2020, in furtherance of the commitment to the delivery of justice, the directions were intended primarily to cover the measures which the Court had to adapt to meet the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court observed that the system of Video Conferencing adopted by the various courts of the country to dispense justice has been extremely successful in providing access to justice.
The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Nageshwar Rao proposed that the Video Conferencing in every High Court and within the jurisdiction of every High Court shall be conducted according to the Rules for that purpose framed by that High Court.
The Rules will govern Video Conferencing in the High Court and in the district courts and shall cover appellate proceedings as well as trials, the bench added.
The Supreme Court further noted that several High Courts have framed their rules already.
“Those High Courts that have not framed such Rules shall do so having regard to the circumstances prevailing in the State. Till such Rules are framed, the High Courts may adopt the model Video Conferencing Rules provided by the E-Committee, Supreme Court of India to all the Chief Justices of the High Court,” the court said.
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