Aastha Thakur
Published on: 13 October 2022 at 10:28 IST
The Delhi High Court recently remarked on how video conferencing (VC) proceedings are being misused. The case was heard by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad.
The bench was displeased with a lawyer who appeared to argue via the VC facility last month and agreed to withdraw his plea then, but plummeted back now giving an excuse of ‘technical glitch‘.
“On the last date, the advocate himself said that he wishes to withdraw the plea but now has taken a ‘somersault’ in front of the court. It is unfortunate that the facility of video conferencing is being misused,” the court said in its order.
The court was actually hearing arguments in public interest litigation challenging the merger of two colleges—BR Ambedkar University and the College of Arts. The petition also contended that students were also denied equal facilities and benefits.
In its last heating, the alleged advocate appeared via Video Conferencing and gave a categorical statement, which was reduced to writing in the order. Hence, the petition was withdrawn.
But the same counsel now appeared before the Court physically and said that on the last date that he was facing some “technical glitches” because of which there was an error in submission last time and even pleaded to restore his plea.
The court, however, did not agree to do so, and made it explicitly known that, “This court will not alter the previous order based on his submission today,”