BCI Come Up With Video-Conferencing Facility For Lawyers Of SC & HC To Appear Before Virtual Court

The Bar Council of India on Friday in a Press Release has stated that it has developed four video conferencing rooms with Wi-Fi support for convenience of Advocates of the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court to appear before Virtual Court. 

The Council has further stated that the facility will be free of cost which will begin from May 26. The decision to provide the facility has been taken by the Chairman of BCI, Manan Kumar Mishra at the request of several Advocates who are facing acute difficulties in doing their cases amid COVID 19 pandemic.

The following guidelines have been issued for availing the facility.

1. The Advocates will be required to reserve their time slots at least 36 hours in advance by sending request mail to [email protected]. Reservation will be granted on First Come First Serve Basis. The functioning of the system has been restricted from 10 am to 2 pm from Monday to Friday except on National and Court Holidays;
2. The advocates will also be assisted by computer friendly staff to facilitate the working of Video Conferencing;
3. Only 2 Advocates will be allowed tp enter the premises of bar Council of India for a particular case, however if both sides wants to avail the facility then not more than four persons will be allowed;
4. Advocates and clerks possessing e-passes will only be allowed to enter the premises of BCI. Further e-passes will be issued by the Office of BCI which would be mailed to their respective emails from which the request for booking such facility was generated;
5. Advocates have been requested to maintain social distancing norms and wear N-95 masks and keep alcohol based hand sanitizers with them;
6. Shoes will not be permitted in Video Conferencing Rooms; and
7. The facilities for e-filings can be availed by needy Advocates and AOR’s after a week.

The Council has also stated that it is in the process of developing a well equipped Arbitration and Mediation Centre, which will be functional within the next 5-6 weeks.

Read the press release here;

-India Legal Bureau