The Supreme Court on Friday said that no high court in the country can deny access to video conference or hearing through hybrid mode to lawyers and litigants after two weeks. Asserting that technology is no longer a “matter of choice” for judges, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said, “If you want to be a judge then you have to be tech-friendly.”

A bench comprising CJI Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued a slew of directions to ensure hybrid modes are not disbanded. “We direct the Union IT Ministry to ensure internet connectivity to courts in northeastern states to ensure access to online hearings,” the bench said.

It also directed the high courts to put in place the standard operating procedures (SoP) for availing access to hybrid or video conferencing hearings within four weeks.

This comes nearly three weeks after the Supreme Court sought replies from the central government and all 25 high courts regarding the continuance of hybrid hearings. The top court bench had given the authorities two weeks to inform them about the status of the video-conferencing facility to conduct proceedings.

Additionally, the bench sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to obtain appropriate instructions from the finance ministry with respect to the availability of a video-conferencing facility for the proceedings.

The top court also asked the registrars of the National Green Tribunal, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, and National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission to submit their affidavits – explaining whether or not hybrid hearings are being allowed by the bodies.

Last month, the Union cabinet sanctioned the infusion of a huge corpus of ₹7,210 crore for the third phase of the eCourts mission – headed by the e-committee of the Supreme Court.

(With inputs from PTI)