High Court to hold virtual hearings two days a week amid global economic crisis

Bench officers have been asked to collect Zoom IDs by Monday

The High Court (HC) will conduct judicial proceedings virtually two days a week to conserve energy amid the ongoing global economic situation.

The decision was announced in a notification issued by the administration wing of the Supreme Court’s HC Division on Sunday.

As part of the transition, the notification directed bench officers of all HC benches to collect Zoom IDs and passwords from the IT department by Monday.

According to the instructions, all bench officers serving single-judge benches and at least one officer from each dual bench must provide their email addresses and mobile numbers to the IT wing, either in person or through a representative, to facilitate the online sessions.

The move leverages the “Use of Information Technology by Court Act, 2020”, which was enacted to modernise the judiciary.

The law was originally introduced as an ordinance during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep the justice system functional during lockdowns.

It was later formalised by parliament, validating all judicial actions and decisions taken in virtual courts during the emergency period.

Under Section 3 of the Act, any court is empowered to conduct trials, enquiries, appeal hearings, and deliver judgements through audio-video or other electronic means to ensure the virtual presence of lawyers, litigants, or witnesses.

Section 4 further clarifies that such virtual presence satisfies all legal requirements for physical attendance.