Karnataka High Court Issues New VC Guidelines and restrains Advocates from Appearing from kitchens, dining halls, lawns, vehicles

Karnataka High Court Issues New VC Guidelines and restrains Advocates from Appearing from kitchens, dining halls, lawns, vehicles

The Karnataka High Court (HC) has issued video conferencing (VC) guidelines wherein it directed that advocates should not indulge in activities not befitting the Court decorum including eating food, attending phone calls, chatting with children, or sleeping.

The HC came up with new VC guidelines as the advocates failed to adhere strictly to the protocol for attending video conference hearings. The Court has issued a notification stating that advocates casually appearing before the Court have affected the functioning of Court proceedings.

The Court emphasized that "Hearing of cases through video conference replaces open court hearing. Hence, even during video conferencing hearing, decorum applicable to court hall hearing shall be followed."

According to the new guidelines issued by the HC, the advocates and the parties are strictly barred from participating in VC hearings from 'kitchen, dining hall, lawn, vehicle or place which has public nuisance, etc.' It added that "They should participate in the video conference hearing by sitting at a place that is consistent with the dignity and decorum of the Courts."

The Court emphasized that the advocates and parties should not indulge in activities that hamper the decorum of the Court that includes eating food, attending phone calls, chatting with children, or sleeping.

The HC issued the following guidelines that the advocates have to abide by-

1. "Hearing of cases through video conference replaces open court hearing. Hence, even during the course of video conference hearing, decorum applicable to the Court hall hearing shall be followed.

2. Before joining the video conference, the advocates, parties-in-person and the person/s permitted to appear through VC shall ensure that proper video conferencing equipment are available with them. They shall also ensure the availability of proper bandwidth in their network.

3. The advocates, while appearing in the VC shall wear the proper robes as prescribed.

4. Parties appearing in person and the person/s permitted to appear through VC shall also be decently dressed considering the dignity and decorum of the Court.

5. Advocates, parties-in-person, and the person/s permitted to appear through VC shall not make their appearance from any place like, kitchen, dining hall, lawn, vehicle, or place which has public nuisance etc., They should participate in the video conference hearing by sitting at a place that is consistent with the dignity and decorum of the Courts.

6. While other cases are being heard, they shall mute their audio and video and un-mute only when their case is taken up for hearing.

7. They shall not indulge in any activities not befitting to the Court decorum such as attending the phone calls, eating the foodstuff, sleeping, chatting with children and other family members, and the clients like.

8. Advocates, parties-in-person and the person/s permitted to appear through video conference shall as far as possible, avoid using cell phones for attending the hearing."