The High Court of Delhi, in a recent office order dated 20th May 2024, issued several directives to ensure the smooth functioning of court proceedings via video conferencing. These directives were issued under the guidance of the Acting Chief Justice. Here’s a detailed summary:
1. Mandatory Video Conferencing: Video conferencing during court hours is made compulsory. This ensures accessibility and continuity of legal proceedings remotely.
2. Active Video Feed: Video at the court’s end must remain switched on throughout the proceedings. This facilitates transparency and enables all parties to observe courtroom activities.
3. Unmuted Conferencing: Unless specifically directed by the court, the video conferencing at the court’s end should not be muted. This allows for clear communication and participation from all involved parties.
4. Open Joining: Access to joining the video conferencing should not be restricted. Advocates, litigants, and the public should be able to join seamlessly, unless instructed otherwise by the court.
5. Display of Item Numbers: Each court must ensure that the item number, indicating the sequence of cases being heard, is displayed during video conferencing proceedings. This aids in organization and tracking of cases.
6. Court Status Updates: A message must be displayed on the video conferencing screen to indicate when the court is not in session, on leave, or when specific directions are issued to restrict proceedings. This keeps participants informed about the status of the court.
7. Reporting Requirement: Principal District & Sessions Judges are required to submit a fortnightly report on video conferencing activities to the Registrar General’s office in a prescribed format.
To ensure compliance with these directives, the Principal District & Sessions Judges of all districts are tasked with disseminating these orders to their respective officers and ensuring strict adherence.
Additionally, the office order mandates the distribution of this directive to various departments and individuals involved in court administration for their information and necessary action. This includes Principal District & Sessions Judges, the Registrar (Vigilance), the Chairman of IT & Digitization for Delhi District Courts, and officials responsible for IT infrastructure in the Delhi High Court and District Courts.
Furthermore, a prescribed format for reporting on video conferencing compliance is provided, outlining specific details that need to be documented by each court. This includes whether video conferencing was operational, mute status, locking status, display of item numbers, messages displayed during specific court statuses, and any additional remarks by the Principal District & Sessions Judge.
In response to this directive, the Office of the Principal District & Sessions Judge North Rohini Court Delhi has acknowledged receipt and forwarded the order to all relevant judicial officers and departments within their jurisdiction. They are instructed to comply with the directives and submit necessary information promptly for onward transmission to the High Court of Delhi.
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HIGH COURT OF DELHI:. NEW DELHI
Office Order No. 506/DHC/CPC Sectt./2024 Dated: 20.05.2024
Hon’ble the Acting Chief Justice of this Court has been pleased to issue following directions:-
(i) The Video Conferencing shall be kept switched ON during the court hours.
(ii) The Video at the court end shall be switched, ON.
(iii) It shall be ensured that the Video Conferencing at courts ‘ end shall not be kept mute unless the court directs otherwise as per the 0 ice Order dated 05.06.2023.
(iv) It shall be ensured that the joining in the Video Conferencing is not locked and Advocate, Litigants and public shall be able to join the Video Conferencing seamlessly unless the court directs otherwise as per the Office Order dated 05.06.2023.
(v) Every Court shall ensure that the item number is displayed during the Video Conferencing proceedings.
(vi) Every Court shall ensure that a message is shown. in the Video Conferencing screen when the’ court retires, not in session, on, leave or when the, directions to restrict the proceedings are issued as per Office Order dated 05.06.2023.
(vii) Ld. Principal District & Sessions Judges shall send a report of Video Conferencing fortnightly to the office of worthy Registrar General of this Court in the prescribed format (annexed herewith).
Ld. Principal District & Session Judges of all the Districts are requested to ensure that all officers working under their supervision and control shall strictly adhere to the aforesaid directions.
BY ORDER
Sd/-
(Kanwal Jeet Arora)
Registrar General
No. 10659-64/DHC/CPC Sectt./2024
Dated: 20.05.2024
Copy forwarded for information and necessary action if any:-
1. Principal District & Sessions Judge, (Central, West, East, North-East, Shandara, North, North-West, South, South-East, South-West, New Delhi, Rouse Avenue Court) with a request to issue directions to concerned regarding implementing the above Office Order.
2. Registrar (Vigilance), Delhi High Court
3. Sunil Kumar Sharma, Ld. Chairman (IT & Digitization), Delhi District Courts.
4. Registrar (I.T.), Delhi High Court.
5. Director (I.T.), Delhi High Court with the request to upload the Office Order on the website/Intemet of this Court.
6. Branch Incharge, IT Cell, Delhi District Courts with a request to upload the Office Order on the website/Intranet of all District Cou
(Abhilash Malhotra)
Joint Registrar (J) / CPC
PRESCRIBED FORMAT
S. No. |
Details of the Court |
Video Conferencing
|
Video Conferencing
|
Video Conferencing
|
Item Numbers,
|
Message shown in the Video Conferencing Screen when the court retires / not in session/ on leave / when the directions to restrict the proceedings are issuedYes/No |
Remarks by Ld. Principal District & Sessions Judge |
OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE NORTH ROHINI COURT DELHI
No. 17939-17978/Judi/North/RC/2024
Dated : 21/05/2024
Copy & its enclosure forwarded for information & necessary action to :-
1. All the Judicial Officers of North District, Rohini Court Complex, Delhi.
2. The Branch In-Charge, Filling Section, Rohini Court Complex, Delhi.
3. The Branch In-Charge, R&I for uploading on Layers.
4. The Branch In-Charge Computer Branch for uploading the order on the Web-Site of North District, Rohini Court Complex, Delhi and also directed to send the requisite information with regard to point no. (VII) to this office positively by 22.05.2024 for its onward transmission to Hon’ble High Court of Delhi New Delhi.
5. The AOJ/Branch In-Charge, Facilitation Center, Rohini Court Complex, Delhi
6. P.S. to Ld. P.D & S.J, North District, Rohini Court Complex, Delhi.
(GORAKH NATH PANDEY)
OFFICER IN-CHARGE (JUDL)/DJ COMMERCIAL
(NORTH) DISTRICT ROHINI COURTS DELHI
