The Advocate, who took the Apex Court Judge by surprise during a video-conference hearing by making an appearance whilst lying on the bed dressed in a t-shirt, has tendered an unconditional apology.
A Bench of Justice S Ravindra Bhat accepted the unconditional apology of the Advocate, but stressed that lawyers should be “presentable & avoid showing images, which are not appropriate & can only be tolerable in the privacy of their homes.”
“This court is of the view that when counsel appear in court video hearings, they should be presentable & avoid showing images, which are not appropriate & can only be tolerable in the privacy of their homes. We are all passing through trying times & hearings by virtual courts has become & order of the day. Yet minimum court etiquette in terms of what can be considered decent dress, background, etc. should be followed, given the public nature of the hearings,” Justice Bhat observed in a recent order.
The Advocate had tendered unconditional apology & said that it was inappropriate on his part to make a court appearance, whilst lying on the bed dressed in a T-shirt, noted the Supreme Court.
The Apex Court, last month had exempted lawyers from wearing gowns, coats & ties while attending the virtual hearings in view of medical advice that there is a greater possibility of the Coronavirus spread.
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The SC through its circular had directed advocates that they may wear “plain white shirt/salwar-kameez/saree, with a plain white neckband” during the hearings being done through Virtual Court System.
In April, a lawyer appeared before the High Court of Rajasthan in a vest & Court ordered that the lawyers should wear proper uniform even when they appear before Courts via video conferencing.
Read Order here:
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