New Delhi: All India Jurists Association, with more than 5000 lawyers, has moved the Supreme Court against the Uttrakhand High Court notification of resuming physical hearing from August 24 and discontinue virtual hearing altogether. The petitioner contends that virtual courts are an accessible and affordable form of justice as per the Supreme Court and the lawyers can not be compelled to appear physically like this.
The petitioner adds that not just before the Uttrakhand High Court, but lawyers are being forced to appear physically before many High Courts like Bombay, Kerela etc which can not be done on the grounds of lack of technology and infrastructure.
"We live in an age of information and are witness to a technological revolution that pervades almost every aspect of our lives redundancies and obsolescence are ubiquitous as the technology itself. Technology is a great enabler. Technology can be harnessed by the state in furthering access to justice and fostering good governance," read the plea.
The petitioner has also prayed for directions to the High Courts to ensure that lawyers are not denied attending proceedings of a case just because they have opted for virtual hearing. It has sought the declaration of the right to participate in virtual hearings as the fundamental right.
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