Allahabad High Court Decides To Adopt 'CISCO WebEx' Platform For 'Efficient' VC Hearings At Lucknow Bench

In order to make virtual court proceedings more efficient and user-friendly, the Allahabad High Court has decided to adopt the CISCO WebEx Events platform for video conferencing at Lucknow Bench.

This development comes almost 6 months after the Allahabad High Court (at Prayagraj bench) decided to adopt the CISCO WebEx Events platform for video conferencing at Allahabad in place of the JITSI Meet platform.

In the first phase of the rollout and changeover to the new video conferencing platform, all matters before Court Nos. 1 & 2 (at Lucknow Bench) shall be heard on the WebEx Events platform w.e.f. Tuesday, i.e. 11.01.2022.

In all the remaining Courts, the link for the virtual hearing of cases shall be sent through SMS on the mobile number of the Advocates which is mentioned in their Advocate on Roll record.

The remaining Courts at Lucknow shall switch over to the new platform in batches notice/s in respect of which shall be published separately.

A notification issued in this regard says that the new platform simplifies the procedure for participating in virtual court proceedings by doing away with the system of lawyers depending on receiving individual SMS invitations daily to join court proceedings.

"Additionally it enables lawyers, litigants in person to witness virtual court proceedings in real-time while waiting in the Attendee Gallery/Waiting Room for their matter to be called," the notification further adds.

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Significantly, a PIL was filed before the Allahabad High Court by legal journalists Areeb Uddin Ahmed and Sparsh Upadhyay through Advocate Shashwat Anand along with three law students, seeking permission for Live-streaming and Live-reporting of Court proceedings across the State of Uttar Pradesh, including the High Courts, Subordinate Courts, and Tribunals.

"The fundamental right to Freedom of the Press, of the petitioners – as journalists/ mediapersons – is well-settled in the day to gain access to VC or physical hearings and report the same as they occur, as the same is an implicit aspect of Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution," the petition had stated.

Hearing the plea, the Allahabad High Court had, in May 2021, observed that its administrative side was working on all aspects of live streaming and live reporting of Court proceedings, for wider public access. The submission on behalf of the HC administration was made by the Standing Counsel Ashish Mishra.

"No one is disputing your right. They're working on all the aspects of the matter, we have to give them some time," a Division Bench of Justices Pankaj Naqvi and Jayant Banerji said while adjourning the matter for six weeks.

It may be noted that the Allahabad High Court yesterday decided to function via Virtual Mode of hearing (starting from January 10/Today) after 8 judges, a few judicial employees and some lawyers tested COVID-19 Positive.