NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday said he is considering shifting Supreme Court proceedings to a virtual only format in view of Delhi’s worsening air quality, stating that he felt unwell after a morning walk recently. The proposal is expected to be discussed with the Bar before any decision is taken, with an option to allow online appearances for lawyers aged 60 and above also being considered.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal supported the move, saying, “At our age, we are breathing this obnoxious air when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 400-500.” The CJI acknowledged the difficulty, remarking, “Yesterday, I went for a walk for an hour. I was not feeling well.”“If I take any decision, then we will take the bar into confidence first. We will see hardship faced by lawyers and litigants … if we get a proposal, then we will do something. I will meet office-bearers in the evening and take some steps,” the CJI added.The remarks came during a hearing on challenges to the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and other states. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the poll panel, sought exemption from personal appearance due to congestion and said he wished to join future proceedings virtually. “I have congestion issues… Please allow my colleague to take notes. I want to appear through video conferencing on the next date,” he told the bench.Kant said any shift to virtual hearings must be made in consultation with the legal community. “If I take any decision, then we will take the bar into confidence first. We will see hardship faced by lawyers and litigants … if we get a proposal, then we will do something. I will meet office bearers in the evening and take some steps,” he said.The Supreme Court currently functions in hybrid mode, allowing both physical and virtual participation. Delhi recorded an AQI of 335 on Wednesday morning, categorised as “very poor” by the Central Pollution Control Board, with pollution levels remaining high for several weeks.Meanwhile, Justice P S Narasimha advised lawyers to utilise virtual hearings to avoid health risks. “Situation is very, very serious! Why are you all appearing here?” he said, cautioning that continued exposure to polluted air could cause “permanent damage”.
