New Delhi, May 14 -- The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi government to respond within three weeks to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that seeks restoration of virtual hearings and provision of essential facilities like clean water and functional washrooms in all District Consumer Commissions across the capital.

A bench led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Advocate S.B. Tripathi. The court also granted the petitioner two weeks thereafter to file a rejoinder, if necessary. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on September 17. The PIL alleges that the practice of virtual court proceedings, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been abruptly stopped in all ten District Consumer Commissions in Delhi. Advocate Tripathi claims that this change has hindered access to justice and that several commissions lack even the basic digital infrastructure required to support video conferencing.

In support of his claims, Tripathi cited responses received through an RTI application, where three district commissions admitted they lacked the necessary setup for virtual hearings. The responses also noted the absence of a 5G internet connection, which officials claimed was vital for smooth online proceedings.

Reacting sharply to this justification, Justice Gedela questioned the counsel for the Delhi government, expressing disbelief that in today's digital era, the administration could still cite lack of 5G connectivity as a reason for the non-implementation of virtual hearings.

Beyond the digital issues, the petition also highlighted the poor state of physical infrastructure in consumer commissions. According to Tripathi, many of these commissions continue to operate without adequate water supply or proper washroom facilities for advocates and litigants, despite prior judicial directives to address these shortcomings.

The plea also urged the court to direct the authorities to fill judicial vacancies across all ten District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions in Delhi, pointing to a growing backlog of cases and the need for efficient adjudication.

The matter now awaits the government's formal response before the next hearing.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.