Courts must comply with orders on hybrid hearings: Delhi HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday said the courts are bound to follow the directions passed by its full court which permitted trial courts to hold hybrid or video conferencing hearings at the request of parties.

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh issued notice and sought response of the Delhi government and high court on an application claiming that the district courts are not permitting hybrid hearings despite the directions of the full court.

"High court has already issued directions. They are bound to comply with it," the bench said.

The high court was hearing two petitions by lawyers Anil Kumar Hajelay and Manashwy Jha seeking various prayers including conducting hybrid hearings in district courts on physical hearing days because of the COVID-19 threat.

The fresh application filed by Hajelay said despite the high court's directions passed on the administrative side that the district courts shall permit hybrid and video conferencing hearing facilities, the subordinate courts were not complying with it.

The lawyer claimed that even when advocates are making such a request, permission was not being granted by some of the trial court judges.

Delhi government additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal said that he has also faced similar difficulties.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on Thursday.

The court had earlier said there was an apprehension of a rise in COVID-19 cases and the infrastructure for hybrid hearings in district courts and other quasi-judicial bodies here must be in place.