Bombay High Court Notifies New Video Conferencing Rules For Virtual Court Hearings

The Bombay High Court has introduced new video conferencing rules for judicial proceedings in Maharashtra, Goa, and the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The guidelines, titled "High Court of Bombay Rules for Video Conferencing for Courts 2022," came into effect on December 29.

These rules are designed to improve the efficiency and accessibility of the judicial system. They will apply to various courts, including Family Courts, Labour Courts, Industrial Courts, Co-operative Courts, Motor Accident Claims Tribunals, and School Tribunals.

Key highlights of the new regulations include the formal recognition of video conference hearings as official judicial proceedings. Participants must provide government-issued identity proof or other personal details to take part. The rules also strictly prohibit unauthorized recording of proceedings to maintain the integrity and security of virtual hearings.