'Have asked all high courts to conduct online hearings': CJI Surya Kant

In response to a plea seeking urgent hearing for all Delhi courts to go online, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Thursday said he had already asked high courts across the country to conduct online hearings, adding that most have already implemented it.

"I have already requested the Chief Justices. Most have already implemented. It has to be a voluntary exercise by both the Bar and the Bench," CJI Kant said.

In her plea, the lawyer has sought directions from the Supreme Court for all district courts to conduct hearings online for three months in the interest of the nation.

For this the CJI said: "District courts are the domain of High Courts. District courts are in the administrative domain of HCs. Let them take call... I have requested them for district courts also."

Kant had requested the chief justices of all high courts to switch to online mode on Mondays and Fridays to reduce avoidable expenditure in the wake of the West Asia crisis on Monday.

Last week, the apex court decided to hear cases only through video conference on Mondays and Fridays, while "unanimously resolved" to encourage car pooling arrangements amongst themselves in order to ensure optimum fuel utilisation.

The measures come after an appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cut down avoidable expenditure due to the West Asia crisis.