New Delhi: A bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud and comprising of Justices Hemant Gupta and Ajay Rastogi conducted the Supreme Court's first paperless hearing today. The three judges were seen working on their laptops while ditching the paper files and going through the details of more than 20 cases listed on their laptops.
During an earlier hearing amid the lockdown, although Justice DY Chandrachud had accessed the files of the case through his iPad, the other judges on his bench went through paper files.
Justice Chandrachud is the chairman of the top court's e-committee and has been reviewing the challenges faced by the country's courts and mulling steps that can be taken to enhance the virtual hearing system.
The top court has been holding virtual hearing of cases ever since the lockdown was imposed and the filing of petitions have also been facilitated through online means now.
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Around two weeks ago, the Supreme Court had also issued a Standard Operating Procedure for e-filing, mentioning of cases for hearing and video conferencing. The advocates who do not have a computer at their homes or offices have been given the liberty to access video conferencing facility of the apex court and the viewing link has also been allowed to be shared with the concerned party (maximum two links).
The virtual hearings are being conducted using the Video application.
