The Delhi High Court has recently deprecated the practice of lawyers appearing before the virtual court via video conference while sitting in moving vehicles, noting that such conduct causes inconvenience and wastes judicial time.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed an order on November 3, 2025, making the observations after a lawyer appeared in such a manner.
The issue arose when a lawyer appeared before the Bench while travelling. The court noted that as a result of this, the continuity of her submissions was broken. She was reportedly only able to communicate that she had filed her vakalatnama for her client on November 2, 2025.
In its order, the Bench observed that this practice has continued despite “several reminders to the members of the Bar.”
The Bench recorded its disapproval, stating, “Such mode of appearance before the Court not only causes inconvenience to the proceedings of the Court, but in fact results in sheer wastage of judicial time. It also ultimately hampers the right to access to justice, which cannot be the purpose of the Courts walking in tune with the technological developments. The Court does not appreciate such mode of appearance adopted by the parties or the learned counsel.”
While the court recorded the lawyer’s conduct in its order, it did not pass any adverse directions at that time.
When the case was subsequently taken up, the lawyer involved in the incident appeared in person before the Bench and offered an apology to the Court. “I have always made efforts to appear before the Court in person,” she submitted.
The Bench responded by reminding the lawyer of her professional obligations, stating that the dignity of the Court and the legal profession rested on lawyers like her.
“Dignity of the court is dependent on you. You should be conscious of the dignity, if not of the court, but at least of the law as a profession. This is what disturbed us,” the Bench remarked.
Following the exchange, the Bench adjourned the case to a later date.
