SC to consider full physical hearing after Diwali: CJI NV Ramana

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, October 21

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Thursday said the Supreme Court would consider going back to full physical hearings after the Diwali.

“After Diwali we may start it (physical hearings) on a larger scale,” the CJI told senior counsel Rakesh Dwivedi and Ranjit Kumar after they thanked him for resumption of limited physical hearings.

“We are happy to see you all…You can’t imagine how lonely it is to see the screen every morning,” Justice DY Chandrachud said, expressing happiness at seeing advocates coming for a physical hearing on Thursday.

The top court had been functioning online or in a hybrid mode (in which lawyers can appear physically or through video conference) since March last year. The Supreme Court Bar Association and other bar bodies have been demanding full-fledged physical hearing for several months.

On Thursday, the CJI met several senior advocates and bar leaders to discuss the issue. Attorney General KK Venugopal, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior counsel Kapil Sibal and CU Singh wanted the hybrid system to continue while SCBA president Vikas Singh and other bar leaders favoured resumption of full-fledged physical hearings.