Delhi High Court Pushes for Swift Financial Approval for Hybrid Hearings in 691 Subordinate Courts

The Delhi High Court has directed the city's chief secretary to speed up a Rs 387 crore financial sanction for implementing hybrid hearings across 691 subordinate courts. This follows a petition regarding court infrastructure during COVID-19. Two pilot courts will be set up per court complex to evaluate performance before wider implementation.

The Delhi High Court has mandated the city's chief secretary to accelerate the allocation of Rs 387 crore to enable hybrid hearings in 691 subordinate courts in the national capital, ensuring the project is prioritized.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora, addressing a petition on court infrastructure for hybrid hearings, emphasized the necessity of a comprehensive tender for all the courts.

“Accordingly, this court instructs the chief secretary, Delhi government, to expedite the financial sanction process for all 691 courts based on the preliminary estimate dated April 19, 2024, amounting to Rs 387.03 crore, and to implement the project on a priority basis. A comprehensive tender for all the 691 courts, inclusive of pilot courts, must be issued,” stated the bench.

The court allowed the Delhi government, represented by additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal, to initially establish two pilot courts per court complex, to be determined by the registrar general, to evaluate the performance before full-scale implementation.

The decision followed a policy review by the Delhi government's Department of Law, showing the necessity for Council of Ministers’ approval, although the court deemed it non-essential due to the costs being below Rs 500 crore and the pre-existing hybrid hearing policy in the High Court.

This move stems from a 2021 petition by lawyer Anil Kumar Hajelay during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced court infrastructure to support hybrid hearings in district courts and quasi-judicial bodies.

Further hearings are scheduled for September 30, with the court previously noting that citizens' access to justice had been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and urging swift steps for infrastructure improvements.