Officials told to set up video-conference rooms within a Week

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pradeep Dahiya has directed heads of local government offices to set up video-conferencing rooms within a week. The move is part of a government initiative to record testimony and attendance through video-conferencing in court cases related to departmental disputes.

The DC issued the directive during a meeting with officials from various departments to discuss the implementation of the government’s policy to establish video-conferencing rooms at key government offices. The meeting was attended by DCP Headquarters Deepak Saharan, all SDMs, CMOs and other departmental representatives.

“A recent gazette notification issued by the state government mandates the establishment of video-conferencing rooms at various government offices, including the District Magistrate, SDM, BDPO, Tehsil, Sub-Tehsil, SP offices, all police stations, jails, Civil Hospitals up to the CHC level, women’s shelters, juvenile justice boards, district child welfare committees and major branches of nationalised and state-owned banks in the district,” said he.

Dahiya further clarified that the responsibility for setting up, maintaining and operating these video-conferencing facilities would fall under the district heads of the respective departments. The system will be closely monitored under the supervision of the DC. He has asked the heads concerned of the local government offices to carefully review the Gazette Notification and submit compliance reports to his office within a week.

The DC emphasised that the government’s decision to incorporate digital systems into the judicial process is a revolutionary step aimed at ensuring the speedy delivery of justice. He explained that the video-conferencing would enable testimonies and attendance to be recorded in court for departmental cases, which would save time and streamline the judicial process.

“The establishment of video-conferencing rooms will be a game-changer for the judicial system. It will allow for faster proceedings and enhance the overall effectiveness of the judicial process. Therefore, it is crucial to set up these rooms within a week to align all processes with government standards. The initiative is a top priority for the government," Dahiya pointed out.

The DC also stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring the prompt implementation of the system and warned that any laxity or negligence in this matter would lead to strict action.