25 lakh virtual hearings took place in various courts during COVID-19 pandemic: Union Law Minister
Twenty-five lakh virtual hearings took place in various courts of India during the COVID-19 pandemic, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at the Virtual Summit of Ministers of Justice of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation hosted by India on Friday.
Highlighting the initiatives taken by India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for providing affordable and easy access to justice for all, Prasad mentioned initiating pro bono legal services to provide free legal aid to marginalized sections of the society.
He highlighted that through Tele-Law services initiated in 2017, so far 3.44 Lakh free legal consultations have been given to poor people through video conferencing.
The minister also highlighted e-courts projects with video conferencing facility and rolling out of virtual courts, as part of the government’s successful transformative change in process automation from the conventional brick and mortar court architecture. During COVID19 pandemic over 25 Lakh hearing through video conference have taken place at various courts of India, out of which 9,000 virtual hearings have taken place at the Supreme Court alone, Prasad appraised the august gathering.
As part of activities of Justice Ministers’ Forum, Prasad urged the SCO member states to promote an exchange of ideas, best practices and experiences in identified areas through the platform. He also stressed on widening the spectrum of activities being undertaken in the forum, in particular, and SCO in general.
Earlier, the Experts Working Group of SCO Member States discussed the importance of promoting alternative dispute resolution mechanism as also cooperation in all spheres including legal, given the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Seventh Session of the Ministers of Justice of the SCO Member States deliberated on areas of cooperation; emphasized the high relevance of mutual exchange of legal information on counteraction to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and acknowledged the need for cooperation in ADR mechanism area, among others.
