Delhi High Court deprecates practice of lawyers appearing before virtual court from moving cars

The Delhi High Court recently deprecated the practice of lawyers appearing before the virtual court through video conference while sitting in moving cars. 

In an order passed on November 3, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said that this has continued despite several reminders to the members of the Bar. 

“Such mode of appearance before the Court not only causes inconvenience to the proceedings of the Court, but in fact results in sheer wastage of judicial time. It also ultimately hampers the right to access to justice, which cannot be the purpose of the Courts walking in tune with the technological developments. The Court does not appreciate such mode of appearance adopted by the parties or the learned counsel,” the Bench recorded in its order. 

The Bench made the observations after a lawyer appeared before the Court while travelling, as a result of which the continuity of her submissions was broken and she could only communicate that she had filed her vakalatnama for her client on November 2, 2025. 

The Bench recorded the conduct but did not pass any adverse orders. When the case was taken up today, the lawyer appeared in person and apologised to the Court. 

“I have always made efforts to appear before the Court in person,” she said. 

The Bench said that the dignity of the Court and the legal profession is dependent on lawyers like her and she should be conscious of the same.

“Dignity of the court is dependent on you. You should be conscious of the dignity, if not of the court, but at least of the law as a profession. This is what disturbed us,” the Bench said. 

Ultimately, it adjourned the case to a later date.