Patna HC makes special arrangements of video-conferencing for lawyers in courtrooms

PATNA: For the first time in almost eight months, lawyers would step inside courtrooms of Patna high court once again as special arrangements have been made on direction of chief justice Sanjay Karol so that lawyers could easily avail video conferencing facilities to appear for their cases without putting much effort to arrange infrastructure required for the purpose.
Under the new arrangement, video conferencing equipments have been installed in selected courtrooms where lawyers would sit while maintaining social distancing while judges would sit in separate courtrooms to conduct hearing.
No lawyers were allowed to reach high court for hearing cases till now after complete virtual hearing method that too only for urgent matters was adopted from March 17 this year due to Covid-19 pandemic in order to maintain social distancing and avoid congregation.
In this process, judges were conducting hearing from their respective residential offices while lawyers also appeared for their cases from residences.
Only selected staffs were allowed to reach high court for performing unavoidable works which can’t be completed from home.
The new method was adopted as trial for first time on Thursday that remained completely successful after which direction was issued to continue with it from Friday.
One division bench and two single benches functioned on both days in which selected criminal and civil matters including old cases were taken up for hearing.
Lawyers would be provided with auto-generated e-passes on their cellphones for specific day on which their case would be listed for hearing.
Meanwhile, HC administration issued notice on Thursday permitting all lawyers to remove their files, gowns and other belongings till Sunday from their association buildings inside court premises. Direction were also issued that all associations, library, public utility services and canteens inside high court premises would remain closed till further others.