SC Bar association president suggests 1 month break for senior lawyers who can’t attend physical hearings

New Delhi, Oct 20: The Supreme Court Bar Association president, Vikas Singh and senior advocate Kapil Sibal sparred over the physical hearings in the Supreme Court.

Singh said that those senior advocates who face difficulty in coming to court for physical hearings can take a break for six months to one year till the pandemic gets over. He said that the young advocates are suffering financially because of virtual hearings. The court had decided to have physical hearings twice a week- Wednesday and Thursday.

Sibal however said that the hybrid system should be preferred and physical hearings not Mae mandatory. When Chief Justice of India, N V Ramanna asked what is the difficulty in having physical hearings for just 2 days a week, Sibal said that he along with other senior advocates can explain. To this the CJI said that he would consult with his colleagues.

Singh said several young advocates are on the verge of starvation. The CJI said that the SC was forced as some sections of the Bar gave an impression that the SC is shrinking from physical hearings. Sep judges still have reservations. The CJI said that there would be just two physical hearings a week and what should be the problem with that.

Sibal said that physical hearings should not be made a hard and fast rule in the SC where only one briefing lawyer is allowed inside the courtroom. He said that some cases run into 60 volumes.