The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down a petition seeking mandatory virtual hearing for all courts in the national capital to cut down the consumption of fuel in the wake of the ongoing West Asia war crisis.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi declined to pass any direction when a woman advocate sought early listing of the plea for directing mandatory virtual hearing by all courts in Delhi.
However, the CJI said that he had already written letters to all high court chief justices requesting them to consider having a virtual hearing on the lines followed by the Supreme Court.
"Most have already implemented. It may not be appropriate to issue directions on the judicial side," the CJI told the counsel. "It has to be a voluntary exercise."
Regarding the functioning of courts in Delhi, the CJI said they fall under the jurisdiction of Delhi High Court, and therefore any decision concerning hearings being conducted virtually should be made by the high court.
In May, the Supreme Court had announced that it would conduct mandatory virtual hearings on Mondays and Fridays till the second week of July as part of measures to save fuel in the context of the government's resolve to reduce the usage as part of efforts to conserve foreign exchange, and judges of the top court would also go for "car-pooling" to conserve fuel.
According to the apex court, matters listed on miscellaneous days (i.e. on Mondays, Fridays, or such other days as declared to be miscellaneous), and matters listed during the court's partial working days (summer vacation) shall be heard by video-conferencing only.
"Till further orders, up to 50 per cent of staff in each branch/section of the registry are permitted to work from home for up to two days per week, provided that the remaining staff remain available in the office to ensure uninterrupted functioning," the apex court administrative order had said.