Bar Council of India seeks laptops, I-pads from Centre, State governments for advocates

Amid the COVID-19 crisis due to which even the courts have resorted to digital hearing of cases since appearing physically in the courts has become risky, the Bar Council of India has appealed to the Centre and the state governments to provide basic iPads or laptops to all needy advocates in the country for the purposes of e-filing and virtual hearings from their homes, offices. It also urged to provide internet connections to the lawyers for discharging their professional obligations.

The Union Government, in collaboration with the state governments, is requested and required to provide basic iPads/laptops to all needy advocates of the country for the purposes of e-filing and virtual hearings from the confines of their private space, from their homes, offices, etc,” BCI said.

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It asked for free and effective WiFi connections in the premises of all the bar associations of the country with advanced scanners and advanced Computer systems of a minimum of at least two in all district courts, four in all high courts, and one in taluka courts bar associations.

Bar Council Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra has said that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, chief ministers of all the states and chief justices of all the high courts in the country, in this regard.

This comes after the meeting held on August 12 and the Bar Council has also requested the Supreme Court and the High Courts to resume physical hearings while adhering to social distancing norms and proper sanitisation depending upon the prevailing condition of the places. It added that District judges should take steps to resume physical hearings after laying down and making efforts for ensuring the effective norms of social distancing. It has also requested the Supreme Court and High courts to facilitate trainers to train the lawyers to teach the process of e-filing. 

(with inputs from agencies)

(Representative image, credit: PTI)

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