Chief Justice Chandrachud Expresses Displeasure Over High Courts’ Video Conferencing Rules

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud expressed dissatisfaction over the reluctance of some State High Courts to adopt virtual hearings and video conferencing as standard practice. He highlighted that certain High Courts require applicants to be over 60 or request a 48-hour advance notice for video conferencing links. The Chief Justice emphasized the importance of integrating video conferencing links directly into the causelist, avoiding unnecessary hurdles.

He also revealed that ₹850 crore was spent between November 2023 and March 2024 to upgrade infrastructure for High Courts and district court judiciary. Chandrachud noted that enhanced video conferencing in district courts, jails, forensic labs, and hospitals could significantly reduce trial delays, ensuring more efficient access to justice. Additionally, he mentioned the Supreme Court’s move to migrate to ‘Meghraj Cloud 2.0’ created by the National Informatics Centre, allowing all courts to go online seamlessly.