Protocol To Resume Physical Hearing In Top Court A Non-Starter: Bar Body

The Bar body objected to several conditions, including one which prohibits entry of lawyers to the high security area of Supreme Court without passes.

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) today wrote to Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, saying that the fresh standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the top court for resumption of physical hearing is "a non-starter" as its members would not like to take the options with so many conditions attached. The Bar body raised objection to several conditions of the SOP, including the one which prohibits the entry of lawyers to the high security area of the Supreme Court without special passes. SCBA president and senior advocate Vikas Singh, in the letter to the CJI, said the Supreme Court being the top court of the country should be a guiding star for resumption of normal work in courts in the country as the High Court and lower judicial courts look upon it for such guidance. "Therefore we should resume normal functioning at the earliest to send the right message down the line," the SCBA said.