New Delhi, Aug. 25 -- The Bar Council of India (BCI) has come out in support of Delhi's bar associations, opposing the Lieutenant Governor's recent order that allows police officials to give their testimony from police stations through video conferencing.

In a strongly worded letter to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the BCI said the August 13 notification strikes at the heart of the principles of natural justice and undermines the right to a fair trial.

The Council, led by Rajya Sabha member Manan Kumar Mishra, along with Co-Chairman Ved Prakash Sharma, urged the LG to withdraw the order with immediate effect. While acknowledging that technology can play a constructive role in speeding up criminal trials, the BCI said recording testimon...