Delhi HC Reinstates PIL on Hybrid Hearings, Citing Infrastructure Deficiency in District Courts

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday acknowledged the genuine problem of insufficient infrastructure in district courts and reinstated a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the adoption of a hybrid system of hearings in subordinate judiciary and quasi-judicial bodies.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna permitted the restoration of the petition, previously disposed of in January 2022, citing the Delhi government’s lack of effective measures to provide the necessary infrastructure for hybrid hearings.

Highlighting the current scenario, Justice Manmohan noted that judges in district courts were conducting hybrid hearings using the mobile phones of court staff. Emphasizing the significance of the petitioners’ concerns, the bench expressed the need for a closer examination.

The court directed high court officials to inspect the courtroom of the district judge in Tis Hazari court premises, where a setup for hybrid hearings has been established. The bench recommended replicating the model in all other courts and urged completion by March 31, 2024.

Notably, the plea’s restoration, unopposed by the Delhi High Court’s administrative counsel and the Delhi government, was deemed a crucial matter. Abhilash Malhotra, Central Project Coordinator, informed the bench that the Public Works Department (PWD) had submitted a project report on hybrid hearings, yet no progress had occurred since the NIC’s examination.

The court urged the Delhi government to take necessary steps and provide updates on developments. The high court’s counsel acknowledged the lack of infrastructure due to the government’s failure to approve required funds for the project.

The bench instructed the high court’s counsel to submit an updated status report before the next hearing on January 11.

Petitioner Anil Kumar Hajelay and others had initially approached the high court in 2021, seeking directives to ensure infrastructure for hybrid hearings in district courts and quasi-judicial bodies. The plea was disposed of in January 2022, with assurance that the government was procuring equipment for hybrid hearings. However, the petitioners, through an application, expressed that many fora still lacked facilities, leading to the reinstatement of the PIL. The application highlighted delays and concerns that without court supervision, effective steps for infrastructure implementation might not be taken by the government.