With the breakout of coronavirus, the government has imposed lockdown in most of the cities of the world where people and professionals are finding different ways to perform their duties. While some are working from home while others are adapting technology to perform their jobs. although the pandemic has disturbed people’s lives all over the world, it must not mess up with professions too.
As it has been advised by health care workers and doctors to maintain social distance while as per Section 144 there must be no more than five people at a place at one time. considering the situation the Supreme court of Pakistan Pakistan is considering conducting hearings of pending cases via video conferencing
Justice Qazi Faez Isa, a senior judge of the Supreme Court, made these remarks while hearing a case marred by the absence of counsel due to coronavirus lockdown.
He suggested the use of Skype, WhatsApp, and Telegram for conducting e-hearings.
To resolve the case Justice Isa asked Supreme Court Bas Association (SCBA) president Sayyed Qalbe.
The SCBA receives several calls daily from counsels about not being able to attend the court due to pandemic. Even the counsels who are willing to attend have no place to stay as most of the hostels in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are closed.
As a result, the court proposed the use of video conferencing services to conduct hearings. The proposal has been sent to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed.
Justice Faez proposed to allow smartphones in courtrooms, however, the list of mobile phones present in the courtroom should be available on the Supreme Court’s website.
These phones will be installed with multiple applications like Skype, Telegram, WhatsApp and counsels presenting their cases will also be asked to install these apps.
To maintain transparency, the proposal suggests the use of large television screens, connected with phones, for videoconferencing.
In America, criminals are taking the advantage of a pandemic for their concerns the Court has decided to set up either a small meeting or proceed with the hearing through phone calls several of the Supreme Court justices participates in their regularly scheduled private conference by phone.
The Supreme Court of New Delhi took note of global pandemic Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and decided that only urgent matters shall be taken up for hearing and no persons except concerned lawyers will be allowed inside its courtrooms. While the government of India is thinking of implementing technological steps in the Courtrooms to avoid the spread of coronavirus.