Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Sunday expressed hope that the Supreme Court may be able to open up for physical hearings after Dussehra.
The CJI said the Supreme Court judges have no objection to holding physical hearings, but the court is worried about the health of lawyers and their clerks who would be exposed to crowds in courtrooms and the court corridors.
The CJI said the court is working on its current standard operating procedure to make it easier for lawyers to enter courtrooms.
"When it comes to physical hearings, we judges have no problems as we sit in protected enclosures. We are concerned about the well-being of advocates and support staff. Hopefully, we will be able to open up fully after Dussehra. Let us hope and pray that there will not be any third wave," Chief Justice Ramana said in his speech at an event organised by women Supreme Court advocates.
The court had transformed from physical to virtual mode nearly two years ago without losing a single day’s work in the face of a debilitating pandemic.
The court began hybrid physical-virtual hearings from September 1. However, most lawyers seem to prefer the virtual mode even as apprehensions about a third wave continue. Eom
