Set up infra for hybrid hearings at the earliest, Delhi HC directs govt

During the proceedings on Tuesday, Delhi government’s counsel Shadan Farasat submitted that a meeting of the IT (information technology) Department is scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday on the issue of not approving the estimate for putting in the necessary infrastructure

The Delhi high court on Tuesday observed that the infrastructure for hybrid hearings (combining both in-person and virtual) in district courts and quasi judicial bodies must be in place as there was an apprehension of a rise in Cvoid-19 cases again.

The remarks came while hearing two pleas by lawyers Anil Kumar Hajelay and Manashwy Jha, seeking various facilities, including the conduct of hybrid hearings in district courts on in-person hearing days in light of the persisting threat of Covid-19. (Representational image)

“Our anxiety is the same. Again there is an apprehension that there may be an increase in the number of (Covid) cases. The apprehension is...by that time, everything should be in place. It has to be done on a quicker footing. It can’t take so long,” a bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said.

The remarks came while hearing two pleas by lawyers Anil Kumar Hajelay and Manashwy Jha, seeking various facilities, including the conduct of hybrid hearings in district courts on in-person hearing days in light of the persisting threat of Covid-19.

During the proceedings on Tuesday, Delhi government’s counsel Shadan Farasat submitted that a meeting of the IT (information technology) Department is scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday on the issue of not approving the estimate for putting in the necessary infrastructure.

He assured the court that the government will come up with a detailed report on the meetings. He further submitted that another meeting of the additional chief secretary of the Delhi government is also scheduled on Tuesday to discuss the issue of which quasi judicial bodies needed hybrid hearing facilities.

The court granted time to the Delhi government to file a status report in compliance with its earlier order and listed the matter for further hearing to December 13.

Earlier, the high court had sought to know the exact time when the infrastructure would be in place in trial courts, and said the purpose of the exercise was to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to advocates and litigants in case a third wave of Covid-19 strikes the country.

The court also said that it was “rather curious” as to how a “revised estimate” of over ₹79 crore was arrived at by the public works department officials and then forwarded to the finance department of the Delhi government without the involvement of experts from the field of information technology (IT).

It had noted that an earlier estimate of over ₹220 crore, submitted by the high court registry to the Delhi government, was brought down to ₹79.48 crore on account of lowered specifications of the infrastructure proposed to be installed for hybrid hearings.

The court had directed the Delhi government to place on record its status report regarding the sanctioning of ₹79.48 crore for setting up infrastructure for the hybrid system in the subordinate courts.