New Delhi. The Delhi air pollution case was heard on Tuesday in a bench headed by CJI Sanjeev Khanna. During the hearing of this case, CJI Khanna discussed the issue of pollution with senior lawyers. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing in the Supreme Court, said that pollution is getting out of control. On this, CJI Khanna said that we have asked all the judges here to allow virtual wherever possible.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday rejected the appeal of senior lawyers seeking to shift the Supreme Court to a completely online system in view of the severe air pollution crisis in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). Went. This appeal came when the air quality in the area had reached dangerous levels. Thousands of people come to the Supreme Court every day.
What arguments did Kapil Sibal give?
Kapil Sibal said that this message needs to be conveyed to other courts. Lawyer Shankar Narayan said that GRAP does not apply to the court. CJI said that look, we also need the cooperation of lawyers. We have already told. SG Tushar Mehta said that can this theoretically be extended to the courts also? CJI said that we have given a message to accommodate everyone. It is available online anyway. The Supreme Court has asked all the courts of Delhi-NCR to conduct virtual hearings. Lawyers should appear virtually. The Supreme Court said that the fewer vehicles plying. That much pollution will be reduced and this will happen only with everyone’s cooperation.
What did Gopal Shankaranarayanan do in the Supreme Court?
Pollution was discussed in CJI Khanna’s court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is also the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, also talked about the seriousness of the pollution crisis. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan supported Sibal, pointing out that the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which mandates strict anti-pollution measures, does not cover the judiciary. GRAP 4 has come into effect but GRAP does not cover courts. At least 10,000 people, including lawyers, clerks and other staff, visit this court every day. Apart from this there is also the number of vehicles entering the premises. Shankaranarayanan said that let this court be completely converted into online system.
CJI Khanna’s answer
CJI Khanna replied that he was aware that GRAP 4 measures had been implemented. Look, we also need the support of lawyers. We have already told the lawyers that they can request for online hearing. On this point, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta supported the request and suggested that the court should consider moving the proceedings completely online during the pollution crisis.
Tags: Air pollution, Supreme Court
FIRST PUBLISHED : November 19, 2024, 11:42 IST
Section 1: Introduction and Background
Interviewer: Welcome to World Today News, I am honored to have Mr. Kapil Sibal and Mr. Gopal Shankaranarayanan with us today to discuss the issue of air pollution in Delhi. Mr. Sibal, let’s start with you. As the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, how concerned are you about the level of air pollution in Delhi and its impact on the legal community?
Kapil Sibal: I am extremely concerned, Interviewer. The air quality has been deteriorating year after year, and this year it has reached alarming levels. Our concern for the general public, including our fraternity members, clients, and staff, is at an all-time high. We cannot afford to ignore this public health crisis.
Interviewer: Mr. Shankaranarayanan, as a senior advocate, can you explain how the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which came into effect this week, is impacting the functioning of the Supreme Court?
Gopal Shankaranarayanan: Indeed, Interviewer. GRAP is a set of strict measures aimed at controlling pollution during the peak season. But it does not cover the judiciary. The apex court gets over 10,0000 visitors daily, including lawyers, clerks, and other staff. This combined with the number of vehicles entering the premises leads to congestion and further emissions. It’s crucial that the court contributes to reducing the carbon footprint to combat this emergency.
Section 2: Supreme Court’s Role in Combating Air Pollution
Interviewer: Chief Justice Sanjeev Khanna recently addressed the issue of pollution in the apex court. What measures has the court taken to reduce its carbon footprint?
Kapil Sibal: The Supreme Court has been extremely proactive in this regard, Interviewer. We’ve been encouraged to conduct virtual hearings wherever possible. The initiative to move to virtual hearings was taken during the pandemic and is a positive step forward. However, it’s essential that all courts in Delhi-NCR follow suit.
Gopal Shankaranarayanan: Absolutely, Interviewer
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