Delhi High Court: Directed Districts Courts To Permit Lawyers Or Parties To Appear Virtually Without Prior Request

The Delhi High Court in the case observed and has directed all the district courts in the national capital for permitting any of the parties or their lawyers for appearing through hybrid or video-conferencing mode during the court proceedings, without obtaining the prior request.
The Delhi High Court issued the circular wherein the circular stated the directions issued regarding the conduct of hybrid hearings in the district courts. It been stated in the circular of the Delhi High Court that the hearings shall be conducted in hybrid or video conferencing mode in conformity with the High Court of Delhi Rules for Video Conferencing for Courts 2021 and while bearing in mind the provisions of the Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings Rules of the High Court of Delhi, 2022.
Adding to it, the circular issued also stated that the judges, while conducting hearings which is being conducted through hybrid or video-conferencing mode, shall ensure that no person other than the parties and lawyer of a particular case digitally accesses or joins the proceedings in cases which relates to the matrimonial disputes, sexual offences, child custody, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, POSCO Act, the Juvenile Justice Act, medical termination of pregnancy etc.
Further, the circular issued by Delhi High Court also stated that the Court may for reasons to be recorded in writing direct the parties and/or their Counsel in order to appear physically where in the opinion of the Court the physical presence of the parties or the said counsel in the court is required or where the court is otherwise of the opinion that the matter should be heard physically in the court. The circular issued stated that all the judicial officers in the District Courts have been requested to strictly adhere to the said directions issued.