Form of words:
New Delhi: “Heavy to come back.” “The first day made it better.” “Ah to come back.” “Holy Land.”
The corridors of the Supreme Court came to life again on Thursday, as lawyers took selfies, snapped pictures of each other and sipped coffee, capturing life during Covid.
Thursday, October 21, when the Supreme Court opened its doors for physical hearing, switched to online mode amidst the Covid pandemic after nearly a year and a half. However, the physical hearing will only happen twice a week for now.
Although the pandemic dominated most of the conversation, everyone agreed it was good to be back in court. An emotional Justice DY Chandrachud told the lawyers appearing before him, “We are very happy to see you back. You can’t imagine how lonely it is to watch the screen in the morning.”
Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, during the hearing related to the blockade due to farmers’ protest, urged the lawyers not to get into a heated argument and argue with a smiling face.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the farmers’ union, could not hide his excitement and told the bench that he was so eager to meet his associates that he reached well before the court was called at 10.30 am.
In the past 18 months, meanwhile, the courtroom was upgraded and redesigned to comply with security protocols. Glass barriers were installed to divide the stage where the judges are seated and the debate area for lawyers.
Supreme Court had adopted online mode of hearing Due to Kovid in March 2020. Later, a hybrid mode was adopted, in which lawyers were given the freedom to opt for a physical or virtual hearing. However, most lawyers preferred virtual presence.
In the two days in which the physical hearing will take place, virtual hearing will also be allowed. The order was modified on Friday evening after some senior advocates requested Chief Justice of India NV Ramana to also allow virtual hearings. A new circular issued on Friday also said that virtual hearings may be allowed if the number of lawyers exceeds the working capacity of the courtroom.
Read also: 50 years, 5 litigation rounds to recover Rs 3,000: Why SC wants law students to study the matter
‘Wonderful to be back on holy land’
However, the lawyers who came on Thursday were happy to “get life back to normal”.
Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi posted his picture with his lawyer facebook page And captioned it as “With item number one of the Supreme Court…made the first day better”.
“One can feel the wrath of the law only in a physical hearing. Whether it is the vibrancy of the courtroom aisles or the rigors of an actual court hearing, there is authentic power and intensity in the hustle and bustle of the real world that gives law and litigation its glamor and charm,” Lekhi told ThePrint.
With over 25 years of experience, Lekhi was as thrilled to be back in the corridors as Aditya Giri, who enrolled as an advocate in 2017.
Giri quotes Shakespeare to express his sentiments: “And this is our life, free from public hunting, languages in the trees, books in the flowing springs, sermons in the stones, and find the good in everything.”
While virtual hearings were convenient for most, advocate Rohini Musa said she missed appearing in court, interacting with judges and her peers. “I remembered the warm, relaxed moments between my teammates and laughed over a cup of coffee. It is wonderful to be back on Holy Land,” she told ThePrint.
Lawyer Pallavi Pratap Was thrilled to be back. In her Instagram post she wrote: “It was overwhelming to be back in court after 1.5 years for a physical hearing! It was great to be back in the room, just feeling that feeling, seeing familiar faces, having a nice cup of coffee and relaxing after I was done. I am happy to have life back to normal.”
Advocate Partha Yaduvanshi deployment of About the new norm in the courts for now. “From adjusting the mask to holding the brief: Take a look at how the first day of the physical hearing in the Supreme Court went.”
Read also: Dangerous gender inequality in judiciary: 4 out of 33 women judges in SC, 66 out of 627 judges in HC
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