Jammu, Aug 28: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has issued new guidelines to make virtual hearings smoother and more accessible for lawyers and litigants.
As per an order by Registrar General (Officiating) M.K. Sharma, video conferencing links for each Bench will now be published in advance in the weekly causelist of both Jammu and Srinagar wings. This move is aimed at making it easier for advocates and parties to join proceedings online, subject to the permission of the concerned Bench.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued alongside lays down strict rules for participation. Advocates or parties-in-person who wish to appear virtually must inform the Bench Secretary or Reader before 10 am on the day of hearing. While joining, participants will need to display their case item number, name, and whether they are representing the petitioner or the respondent.
The court has also emphasised that virtual hearings must follow the same decorum as physical courts. Proper dress code is mandatory, microphones and cameras must remain off until the case is called, and recording or sharing of proceedings is strictly banned. Anyone violating these rules will be removed from the session and barred from rejoining.
To ensure better access, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) coordinators have been directed to upload VC links on the High Court’s official website along with causelists. This will allow lawyers and litigants across both Jammu and Srinagar wings to access hearings more easily.
