Judges and lawyers should dispense robes for the time being to prevent the spread of corona virus:- CJI S.A.Bobde

Chief Justice SA Bobde during a hearing today stated that instructions would soon be released from the Supreme Court for dispensing with the dress code encompassing robes and gowns.

The exchange ensued between the bar and the bench, wherein the CJI told Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal during a Video Conference hearing that judges, lawyers should not wear jacket & gown for time being as it “makes it easier to catch virus”.

The comment came from the bench, which also comprised Justices Indu Malhotra and Hrishikesh Roy, while hearing a fresh petition seeking directions for the government to completely ban WhatsApp’s payment services.

On Wednesday, the judges wore a white shirt and a band for the hearing through the video conference. Sibal, representing the petitioner, enquired from the bench why judges are not in robes.

Justice Bobde informed Sibal that judges have been informed that adding extra layers, gowns and robes, would eventually help in attaching coronavirus.

The bench told Sibal that instructions on this matter, to exempt judges and lawyers from donning gowns or robes during hearings, would be issued soon.

Yesterday, a three-judge bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao, Abdul Nazeer & Sanjeev Khanna had indicated expanding the Video Conference hearings.
“Yes. It’s a “Pilot project”.

We will assemble in Courtrooms from next week while lawyers can continue addressing the bench from their chambers” Justice L. Nageswara Rao had stated.

By Aadarsh Mishra of ICFAI University, Dehradun