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Tough to hold hearings without complainants, defendants’
WHEELS OF JUSTICE Advocate Amandeep Sharma is spending the lockdown studying amendments and preparing for pending cases
With courts only hearing urgent matters amid the lockdown imposed to check the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), advocate Amandeep Sharma, 50, is using the down time to study recent amendments and peruse through pending cases.
The former businessman has been practicing criminal law for eight years. He has only visited the court twice since the courts closed.
“I had to go to court because two of my cases required an urgent hearing. It is a challenge to hold a hearing in the absence of complainants and defendants. However, the judges have been really supportive. They are also entertaining us on the phone so that we can minimise our visits to court. We have also been allotted an e-mail id where we can submit bail plea request.”
However, Sharma feels that video conferencing is not an adequate substitute for physical presence in court.”In many cases, where the criminal cannot be produced in the court, the video conferencing approach is adopted but I believe that it is not effective for all cases since it is challenging to show evidence, argue cases and understand the position of the complainant and defendant through a virtual medium.”
“The atmosphere in court is conducive for both judges and advocates to understand every aspect of the case, which is why I think the court should only entertain urgent cases till normalcy is restored,” Sharma opines.
Ask him how he plans to spend the remaining lockdown period , he says, “This week I plan to read the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2019, along with making calls to some of my clients whose cases are pending in the court,” Sharma says.
Other than studying, Sharma a resident of Rishi Nagar is spending the lockdown period practicing mindfulness and watching Ramayana and Mahabharata with his family.
Sharma and his family have been doing their share of humanitarian work by feeding the police staff deputed in their area: “There are eight police personnel deputed in our area. We prepare tea for them in the morning and evening and also prepare lunch for them. This is our way of showing our appreciation, gratitude and support for those on frontline,” he says.
“In this time of uncertainty, it is our duty as human beings to help and support each other. The safety of ourselves, our loved ones and society at large should be our primary concern,” he says.
