Yesterday, On 22nd October, A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud agreed to hear a petition requesting the adoption of hybrid mode hearings, combining both virtual and physical appearances. The court has issued notices, seeking responses from the Centre, states, and Union Territories on the matter.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) calling for the introduction of hybrid hearings in family courts across India.
A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, agreed to review the petition and requested responses from the Centre, states, and Union Territories.
The Bench ordered,
“Issue notice, returnable in six weeks,”
The petition, filed by advocate KC Jain, emphasized that the Family Courts Act was intended to ensure the swift resolution of family disputes, yet more than 11 lakh cases remain pending nationwide.
The PIL said,
“The significant delays in case disposal, particularly in matters of maintenance, child custody, visitation rights, restitution of conjugal rights, and divorce, are exacerbating the emotional and financial strain on litigants, particularly women and children,”
The petition also advocated for the adoption of hybrid hearings, combining virtual and in-person appearances, as a solution to geographical and logistical challenges. It suggested that this could ensure timely justice, especially for those involved in cross-city or cross-state marriages.
Additionally, the PIL called for a centralized system to monitor and report family court cases, enabling data-driven interventions and improving resource management in family courts.
In October of the previous year, the Supreme Court mandated the adoption of a hybrid hearing model for High Courts and Tribunals associated with all Union Government Ministries.
Additionally, it provided instructions for conducting virtual hearings in State Information Commissions formed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2006.
Read Also: [Hybrid Courts Project] Delhi HC Issued Directions For the Implementation
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear the responses from the Centre, states, and Union Territories, this case could have far-reaching implications for the functioning of family courts across the country. If the court decides in favor of hybrid hearings, it could mark a significant step toward reducing the backlog of cases and providing timely relief to families in legal distress.
The introduction of a hybrid hearing model in family courts may pave the way for similar reforms in other judicial areas, bringing India’s court system closer to a more modern, efficient, and accessible form of justice delivery.
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