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CJI Surya Kant News: CJI Surya Kant, Kapil Sibal and Rakesh Dwivedi expressed concern over the poisonous air of Delhi. A proposal for virtual hearing and exemption for lawyers above 60 years of age has come forward in the Supreme Court. Dwivedi requested that the hearing be changed to virtual mode. Sibal also supported this and said that such suggestion was given by former CJI B.R. Was also placed in front of Gawai.
New Delhi. The worsening air quality of the capital Delhi raised serious concerns even during the proceedings of the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant openly said that the air of the city has become so poisonous that even going out and taking a normal walk has become difficult. The CJI made this comment when senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi was seeking exemption from hearing the SIR case citing ill health. CJI Surya Kant asked whether this problem was related to Delhi’s air, to which the lawyer agreed.
The CJI said, “My only exercise is walking, but now even that is difficult. Yesterday I went for a 55-minute walk and the problem continued till morning.” Senior advocate Kapil Sibal also expressed displeasure over the air of Delhi. He said, “I have stopped walking. Breathing this poisonous air at our age…” Dwivedi added that his problems also started after the walk. When the CJI suggested that it might be easier to take a walk in the evening, Sibal immediately said that the Air Quality Index (AQI) remains at 300–350 even in the evening, which is a ‘very poor category’.
Will the Supreme Court hearing be virtual?
Dwivedi requested that the hearing be changed to virtual mode. Sibal also supported this and said that such suggestion was given by former CJI B.R. Was also placed in front of Gawai. CJI Surya Kant said that this suggestion will be considered, but its decision will be taken only after the consent of the Bar. He said, “If any such decision has to be taken, I will take it only after taking the Bar into confidence. If the Bar Association makes a proposal, we will look at it with an open mind. Today I will meet the officials at the Constitution Day program – I will tell them your views.”
Proposal to give exemption to lawyers aged 60+
Dwivedi demanded that at least lawyers above 60 years of age should be exempted from physical appearance until the pollution level becomes normal. Recently Justice P.S. Narasimha had also advised the lawyers to shift to virtual hearing in view of the dangerous air pollution in Delhi.
Delhi’s poisonous air – court also forced
This statement of CJI Surya Kant brings out the real and horrifying picture of the air in the national capital amid the tussle between the governments over the continuously increasing AQI, respiratory diseases and air pollution in Delhi. Now everyone’s eyes are on whether the Supreme Court will make a major change in the hearing mode due to air pollution.
