Hybrid Hearings, Car Pooling & Virtual Meetings : Allahabad High Court Introduces Austerity Measures
In a bid to promote resource efficiency and reduce fuel consumption, the Allahabad High Court has introduced a series of austerity measures for its principal seat at Prayagraj and the Lucknow Bench.
The measures have been rolled out by the Chief Justice, pursuant to a letter from the Chief Justice of India and an Office Memorandum from the Government of India, with a focus on optimising vehicle usage and expanding digital infrastructure for court and administrative functions.
Car-Pooling & Public Transport
To ensure optimum utilization of fuel, the Registry Officers have resolved to encourafe car-pooling arrangements amongst themselves.
Employees across all cadres (Class I to Class IV) have been asked to pool cars or vehicles. Furthermore, the administration has advised the staff to maximize their use of public transport wherever feasible.
Virtual Committee Meetings
All efforts will be made to convene the meetings of the Committees comprising the Chairman/members from the Allahabad and Lucknow Benches, through VC/online mode. To facilitate such meetings, a co-presenting Officer may be appointed.
Hybrid Court Proceedings
The hybrid mode could be adopted for conducting court proceedings, at the discretion of Hon'ble Courts/Judges.
The advocates have been advised to appear for the cases via video conferencing. The Office Bearers and members of the Bar/Advocates have been requested to make maximum use of this facility to reduce physical footfall and travel.
Dedicated Technical Support
To ensure a smooth transition and facilitate the hybrid functioning of courts, the High Court has directed the establishment of a dedicated email ID for queries and support regarding hybrid appearances.
At least two dedicated helpline numbers will be introduced to assist advocates and stakeholders in utilising the hybrid mode effectively.