Judges, lawyers shouldn’t wear coat, gown as they make it easier to catch virus: CJI

PTI, May 13, 2020, 7:24 PM IST

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) S A Bobde on Wednesday said the judges and the lawyers should not wear coat and gown for the time being as they make it easier to catch virus”.

The statement to this effect by the CJI came, while he was holding the hearing through video conferencing, in a case in which arguments were being made by senior advocate Kapil Sibal.

The CJI, who was sharing the dais with Justices Indu Malhotra and Hrishikesh Roy, said the apex court may soon come out with instructions on the dress code for lawyers and the judges.

The Judges were not wearing the coat and the gown during the hearing conducted through video conferencing.

The observation of the CJI assumes significance in view of the fact that the apex court has been holding courts through video conferencing from March 25 due to the nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and had even suspended the entry of advocates and other staff into the high-security zone on the basis of their proximity cards, till further orders.

The impact of the CJI’s statement was instant as the lawyers were seen appearing without coat and gown in cases heard after that through video conferencing.

Earlier, the apex court on Tuesday said that as part of a pilot project, the judges may come to the courtrooms in the apex court premises from next week to hold proceedings through video conferencing.

During the lockdown, the benches usually assemble at the residences of the judges and the lawyers are allowed to join the video conferencing from their homes or offices.