Supreme Court goes fully virtual twice a week amid PM Modi’s appeal to save fuel

The Supreme Court has decided to conduct hearings exclusively through video conference on Mondays and Fridays amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to save fuel due to economic fallout of the West Asia crisis.

The Court has also said that it will adopt a hybrid mode of hearing cases from Tuesday to Thursday every week.

Under the revised arrangement, all hearings on Mondays and Fridays will take place exclusively online. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, lawyers and litigants will have the option of appearing either physically or virtually.

The Court has further said that judges had “unanimously resolved” to encourage car-pooling arrangements amongst themselves in order to ensure optimum fuel utilisation.

It has permitted up to 50 per cent staff in each Registry branch or section to work from home for up to two days a week, subject to preparation of weekly rosters and ensuring uninterrupted functioning of the Court.

It added that Registry officials could restrict or modify work-from-home arrangements if the nature of work in any particular branch required physical presence.

The move came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to reduce fuel consumption in view of rising global crude oil prices linked to tensions in West Asia.

He also suggested that work-from-home practices could be encouraged again in suitable sectors in order to reduce travel-related fuel usage.