The Gujarat High Court has issued a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for conducting virtual and hybrid court hearings. This new SOP introduces a mandatory "waiting room" feature for all participants who join proceedings through video conferencing. The court has made it clear that participants must maintain the decorum expected in a physical courtroom even when attending proceedings virtually. This includes appearing from a suitable location with an appropriate background and maintaining discipline in dress and behavior. Joining proceedings from vehicles or inappropriate settings is strictly prohibited. Any violations of these protocols may invite contempt of court proceedings.
This updated SOP replaces the earlier one issued via Circular No. ITC/234/2024 dated February 20, 2024. The revision was prompted by a suo motu contempt case initiated by the High Court through an order dated June 30, 2025. In that case, a person had appeared in a virtual court session while seated on a toilet seat, an act that the court considered a serious breach of decorum. Following this incident, the court directed the Registrar (Information Technology) to propose measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. The revised SOP is the result of those directions and aims to ensure the dignity of court proceedings is maintained, even in a virtual setting.
According to the new SOP, links for virtual hearings will be made available in the daily cause list published on the High Court’s official website. These links will also be sent by email to advocates and parties appearing in person. Once a participant clicks the link, they will first enter a virtual “waiting room.” In this space, they must await verification by the court staff before being admitted into the actual hearing. To facilitate identification, all participants are required to set their display names using a specific format: they must begin with the serial number of the case as listed in the cause list, followed by their exact name. This naming format helps the court master to quickly and accurately identify participants and maintain order during proceedings.
The SOP further instructs court masters to admit participants into the hearing after verifying their display names. This procedure ensures that only authorized individuals who are part of the day's listed cases are permitted to join the proceedings. If the court requires the presence of a litigant or any other individual, the court master is authorized to allow their entry as per the court’s directions.
With this revised SOP, the Gujarat High Court aims to strike a balance between the efficiency of virtual hearings and the need to preserve the formal atmosphere of courtroom proceedings. By mandating waiting rooms, display name formats, and appropriate behavior, the court has taken proactive steps to prevent misconduct and uphold the sanctity of judicial processes, even in a digital environment.
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