Covid-19 impact: SC relaxes dress code for advocates

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a circular relaxing the dress code for advocates appearing through video conferencing amidst the nationwide lockdown due to Covid-19.

The Circular notified that after considering medical advices in light of the ongoing pandemic, the court directs that “the advocates may wear “plain white-shirt/white-salwar-kameez/ white saree, with a plainwhite neck band” during the hearings before the Supreme Court of India through Virtual Court System till medical exigencies exist or until further orders.”

It also stated that this precautionary measure has been taken to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection under the prevailing conditions.

Earlier in the morning, the apex court had said that it would soon issue directions to judges and advocates to appear before the court without robes for the time being to prevent the spread of covid-19.

During a hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal had requested to know that why the bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justice Indu Malhotra were not following the dress code.

The Chief Justice said they have heard that jackets and gowns “make it easier to catch virus", hence orders would be issued soon to alter the dress code of judges and lawyers.

This notification is of significance, as soon the courts are likely to function and hear non- urgent matters as well.

The judges had been taking up cases through video conferencing from home, but on Tuesday the bench was seen hearing matters from the court rooms at Supreme Court.

Justice L Nageshwar Rao, heading the three-judge bench, told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the apex court was running a pilot and from next week the judges will take up cases sitting in the court rooms and advocates shall argue the matters sitting in their chambers through video conferencing.

The top court had been hearing cases only through video conferencing since 24 March.