Judges' panel postpones meeting to review functioning of Supreme Court

The suspense over the decision on bar bodies' including SCBA's demand to resume regular courtroom proceedings in the Supreme Court is likely to continue for the time being as a three-judge panel headed by seniormost judge Justice N V Ramana postponed its June 5 meeting with bar leaders to review the functioning of courts in view of COVID-19.

The high-powered committee, also including Justices Arun Mishra and U U Lalit, had the meeting scheduled with the bar leaders on June 5 at Judges' Guest House here to “review the functioning of the Supreme Court in the light of surging pandemic due to COVID-19 cases in NCT Delhi and adjoining area”.

Sources said now a few more judges are likely to be included in the existing three-judge panel to decide the crucial issue of resumption of regular courtroom hearings in place of proceedings through video-conferencing, which are going on since March 25 when the COVID-19-induced lockdown was imposed.

They said the decision on the review meeting is likely to be taken soon.

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) led by its president Dushyant Dave had written to member lawyers on June 4 seeking their views on resumption of regular courtroom proceedings for apprising the judges' panel of its views.

Favouring resumption of open courts, Dave had also said, “Administration of justice cannot remain virtually closed for an indefinite period”.

BCI (Bar Council of India), SCBA and SCAORA (Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association) have been demanding resumption of physical courtroom hearings.

SCBA said there was an “existential question” and without the court's functioning, lawyers, except a privileged few, are in dire need “for the court to start to give them a chance to work and livelihood".

Bar bodies also said the virtual court system was not working well in favour of many lawyers, who either did not have access to the technology or were not well-versed with it.