SC dismisses PIL seeking mandatory virtual hearings in district judiciary

New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking mandatory virtual hearing facilities in district courts for disposal of around 3.4 crore pending criminal cases.

"The issues raised in the petition are of policy. We cannot lay down one-size-fits-all solutions for the entire country. The country is too complex to issue these kinds of directions," said a bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, at the very outset.

The Bench, also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, assured advocate KC Jain, the petitioner-in-person, that the project of virtual courts is being worked upon under phase-III of e-courts mission, where the Centre has allocated a budget of Rs 7,000 crore.

Dismissing the plea, it said: “These are critical aspects being looked into phase-III. But, we cannot issue directions on the judicial side. These are ongoing projects of bringing technology into the judiciary."

The PIL said that for effective implementation of the new criminal laws, it is necessary that virtual hearing facilities in district courts be made available. It called for taking proactive initiatives to address the substantial delays in the delivery of justice by the district judiciary, which otherwise is undermining public confidence.

"The hybrid mode of hearings in district courts is much needed, which would make it easier for the litigants to participate in the process, which would expedite the processes and reduce repeated adjournments," it said.

Further, the plea suggested separating pre-lunch and post-lunch sessions within a single day by the district judiciary to help litigants and lawyers manage their time more efficiently. “This approach will allow for better time management, improved case handling, and more efficient use of court resources. It will also reduce stress and travel difficulties for litigants, and address case backlogs," it added.

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