Lawyers Can Appear Online, Says CJI Sanjiv Khanna Amidst Delhi's Severe Air Pollution

Amidst the alarmingly severe air quality in Delhi, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Monday (November 19) said that the lawyers will have the option of appearing online.

CJI Khanna however refused to give a definite statement that the functioning of the Courts would be only online, despite the requests made by Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, requested that the lawyers be allowed to appear online amidst Delhi's air pollution, which he said was "getting out of control."

"We have told all judges here, wherever possible allow virtual," CJI Khanna said. Sibal requested that the other Courts/Tribunals in Delhi also be sent the same message. CJI Khanna said that the lawyers will have the option.

Gopal Sankaranarayanan said that around 10,000 lawyers come to the Court daily, in their vehicles, apart from their clerks, who also use personal vehicles often. "We will leave it to the lawyers concerned...we have given them that facility, whenever you want to appear virtually, you can," CJI said.

 Sankaranarayanan then said that the restrictions under GRAP-IV have been implemented in the city.

"You have the option, you exercise that option. We have already said so. We will accommodate everyone, " CJI reiterated.

SG Tushar Mehta then said, "In principle, if the Court itself can go online, instead of options." CJI however repeated that the lawyers will have the option of online appearance. "The way we have functioning today, if anybody wants to be online, they can go online."

Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a circular advising everyone to wear masks. On the judicial side, the Court issued a direction that the GRAP-IV restrictions will continue even if the Air Quality Index of Delhi falls below 450.