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In the recent letter dated 14th January, 2021 to Chief Justice SA Bobde, Senior Advocate and former President of Supreme Court Bar Association, Mr. Vikas Singh has urged for the resumption of physical court hearings.

The Senior Advocate has stated in his letter,

 “I am deeply concerned with the non-resumption of normal functioning of this institution. Taking into account the situation whereby most of the recent decisions given by the Bench did not include the interest of the bar and thereby neglecting the second main pillar on which the judicial system stands, he states.

The four broad issues put forth by the Senior Advocate relate to the election of the Executive Committee of SCBA being hampered, while thrusting on the resumption of the physical court hearings at the Supreme Court with consideration to various safety guidelines, providing cubicles to the lawyers and LAN (Local Area Network) services in the Lawyers Chamber's and lastly, to organise the Advocate On Record examination for the year 2020.

The Senior Advocate emphasised on the sufferings faced by the young lawyers during the pandemic who had to choose alternate career options and also had to re locate to their hometowns to survive.

“Senior advocates are being engaged all over the country sitting in Delhi which facility is not available to the young members of the Supreme Court Bar.”

- Singh to CJI SA Bobde

He further requested to the CJI, that the normal working hours should be restored so that the “matters which need urgent attention are not made to be wait unnecessarily and if required, urgent orders can also be passed during mentioning.”

The advocate ended the letter requesting the CJI to take all necessary safety measures at the earliest for reopening of the Supreme Court and ensure that the situation is back to how it was before the outbreak of pandemic.