Plea in SC seeks virtual hearing facilities in UP Courts

The petition contends that there is no permanent bench in Western UP which is a "denial of access to justice to the people of Western Uttar Pradesh"

New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to set up virtual hearing facilities in the Allahabad HC and District and sessions court of western UP along with establishing a filing counter. The petition has been filed through Adv Mohammad Anas Chaudhary contending that there is no permanent bench in Western UP which is a "denial of access to justice to the people of Western Uttar Pradesh"

"There are 7 High Courts which are closer to people of Western UP than their own High Court in Allahabad. The distance of various other High Courts is closer to Meerut. This is a bigger injustice for the litigants of Western Uttar Pradesh that the High Courts of 7 states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi are nearer to Western UP in comparison to Allahabad High Court," read the plea.

Further, the Advocate petitioner contended that the lawyers have to travel for more than 700 km from Meerut to Allahabad to attend hearings and when the case gets adjourned, it's a loss of money, time and energy. The petitioner has also cited that according to the National Judicial Data Grid, 10.76 lakh cases are pending before the Allahabad High court.