Franklin Templeton case before the Karnataka High Court: A template for lengthy hearings via video conference?

Even as lawyers continue to express reservations about the system of virtual hearings necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Karnataka High Court has seemingly set a new record. .After conducting video conference hearings for 25 days, the Court today pronounced its 333-page judgment in a batch of pleas challenging the winding up of six debt fund schemes of Franklin Templeton. .And as the Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi remarked before pronouncing its judgment, it might be the longest virtual hearing held for a single case amid the pandemic.."This must be the longest video conference hearing conducted. It was held for 25 days. Participants joined from London, New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru."Karnataka High Court.The Court also took note that over the course of the hearings, connectivity issues arose only once, for a brief period of ten minutes, before the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta were heard. .The heavy load of precedents and other documents submitted by various parties were forwarded to the Court by email. As per the Court's observation, the record of the cases consisted of more than 5,000 pages..The Division Bench opined that even though all parties may not agree with its decision, they would be hard pressed to deny that the hearing was conducted efficiently, despite the lengthy arguments and the voluminous record.."All the parties will not agree upon the correctness of the conclusion of judgments drawn on merits but we are sure that all the partes will agree that, notwithstanding the voluminous record, long length of arguments and involvement of complicated legal and factual issues, hearing can be effectively conducted by use of video conference facility......We hope and trust that during the period of the pandemic, the learned members of the Bar will take recourse to the video conference hearing even in complicated matters involving bulky record without having any apprehension."Karnataka High Court.The Court further commented that while hearing such cases via the video conferencing mode, the active cooperation of the members of the Bar was indispensable. ."We were fortunate to get full cooperation from all of them (advocates who appeared in the matter)", the Bench expressed its gratitude..No interference in decision of Franklin Templeton trustees to wind up 6 debt schemes: Karnataka High Court; judgment stayed for 6 weeks.Ever since the introduction of virtual hearings, lawyers have been crying themselves hoarse for matters involving lengthy arguments and important questions of law to be heard by courts physically.However, the Karnataka High Court's handling of the Franklin Templeton case could prove that length of arguments and documentation no bar, courts can effectively hear and decide such matters. Internet connectivity and lawyers willing, of course.