10 Benches of Supreme Court hear matters via Videoconferencing on May 27; 1,594 Advocates join hearings

As Supreme Court of India continues to work during the cancelled summer vacations via videoconferencing, it is informed that today 1,594 advocates joined the virtual hearings before 10 benches of the top court..A release from the Supreme Court stated that as per the causelist circulated for dated May 27, 2020, a total of 164 main matters with 45 connected matters were heard by the different Benches of the Supreme Court..Initially when the Court started functioning on March 24 via video conferencing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virtual hearings were restricted to only extremely urgent cases..Supreme Court response to Coronavirus (March 15): Virtual Court, E Filings, Paperless Courts to be a reality.Later, the number of Benches sitting were increased gradually as the country entered into the second and third phases of the lockdown..As of late, Benches to consider review and curative petition in chambers have also been designated, whereby these matters would be taken up after regular court hearings through video conferencing..The process of video conference hearings are being conducted through the Vidyo app, under the management of the Supreme Court e-committee headed by Justice DY Chandrachud..Justice Chandrachud while delivering a recent lecture had stated that "virtual court hearings are not a substitute for the open Court system, but it is something that the Courts had to resort to on account of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.".Virtual Courts are not a substitute for open Court hearings, had to be resorted to in the pandemic: Justice DY Chandrachud.Speaking during a webinar organised NALSAR's Nyaya Forum, the Supreme Court Judge had stated that the "Open Court system" was indeed the "spine" of our legal system and that it "cannot be displaced by the virtual court system.".We are conscious that every lawyer may not be e-enabled: Justice DY Chandrachud during e-inauguration of Virtual Courts for Tamil Nadu