Lawyer joins virtual hearing from moving car, Delhi High Court imposes Rs 1 lakh fine

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Delhi High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on a lawyer for appearing in a virtual hearing from a moving car. The court said that the facility of virtual hearings does not mean that the dignity and discipline of the court can be compromised or that judicial proceedings can be disrupted. In its order, the court said that online hearings are provided for the convenience of litigants and lawyers, but the facility cannot be used in a manner that affects the seriousness and decorum of court proceedings.

A single-judge bench of Justice Om Prakash Shukla imposed the fine on the lawyer who appeared on behalf of the decree holders, meaning the parties entitled to benefit from the judgment. The matter was related to two connected enforcement petitions filed by South Indian Bank Limited and Union Bank of India Limited against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). At the beginning of the proceedings, the bench noticed that advocate Nachiketa Goyal, appearing for the decree holders, was attending the hearing from a moving car.

Court says virtual hearing facility cannot come at cost of court decorum

The High Court said that it appreciates the convenience provided by virtual hearings, but such convenience cannot come at the cost of the dignity of the court or interfere with the conduct of judicial proceedings. The court observed that when more than 70 cases have to be taken up in a day, background noise and movement during hearings can disrupt the functioning of the court.

The order also referred to the Electronic Evidence and Video Conferencing Rules, 2025. Under these rules, lawyers are expected to avoid participating in proceedings from vehicles, except in specific circumstances where permission has been granted by the court.

Justice Shukla said the requirement was not merely procedural but was intended to ensure that when lawyers appear virtually, they are present in a setting that provides a suitable environment for the proper functioning of the court.

The order stated that there were no special circumstances in the present case and that the lawyer's conduct amounted to a violation of the rules. Taking these factors into consideration, the court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the counsel for the decree holder. The amount is to be deposited with the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee within one week from the date of the order.

Court also seeks proof of stamp duty payment

During the hearing, the bench also noted that stamp duty on the arbitral award dated November 13, 2024, which was sought to be enforced, had been paid on December 24, 2025. The court observed that the payment date was more than a month after the date of the award and did not comply with an earlier High Court judgment.

During the proceedings, advocate Manish Dembla, appearing for the decree holders, informed the court that the stamp duty and penalty had already been deposited with the Collector. He also assured the court that proof of the payment would be placed on record within one week.

The Delhi High Court directed that proof of payment be submitted within one week and fixed October 15 as the next date of hearing in the matters.