Delhi HC imposes Rs 1 lakh cost over lawyer’s virtual appearance from moving car

New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on a counsel for appearing in a virtual hearing from a moving car, observing that the convenience of virtual proceedings cannot come at the cost of courtroom decorum or disrupt judicial proceedings.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Om Prakash Shukla imposed the cost on the counsel appearing for the decree holder in two connected enforcement petitions filed by South Indian Bank Ltd and Union Bank of India Ltd against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

At the outset, the Bench noted that advocate Nachiketa Goyal, appearing for the decree holders, was participating in the proceedings “from a moving car”.

“While this Court appreciates the convenience offered by virtual hearings, such convenience cannot come at the cost of the decorum of the Court or cause disturbance in the conduct of judicial proceedings,” the High Court said.

“When this Court has to deal with more than 70 matters in a day, background noise and movement during the hearing are disruptive for this Court to proceed,” it added.

The order also referred to its Electronic Evidence and Video Conferencing Rules, 2025, which provide that advocates should endeavour not to join proceedings from vehicles except in exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the court.

“The requirement is not merely procedural and to ensure that even when Counsel appear virtually, they do so from an environment conducive to the proper functioning of this Court,” Justice Shukla observed.

The order further recorded that there were no exceptional circumstances in the present matter and held that the counsel’s conduct was “in violation of the rules”.

“In view of the aforesaid, a cost of Rs. 1 lakh is imposed upon learned Counsel for the Decree Holder, payable to Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee within one week from today,” the High Court ordered.

During the hearing, the Bench also noted that the stamp duty on the arbitral award dated November 13, 2024, sought to be enforced, was paid on December 24, 2025, which was “undoubtedly beyond one month from the date of execution of the said award” and was not in consonance with an earlier judgment of the High Court.

At this stage, advocate Manish Dembla, also appearing for the decree holders, submitted that the stamp duty along with penalty had already been deposited before the Collector and undertook to place proof of the same on record within one week.

The Delhi High Court directed that the proof of payment be filed within a week and posted the matters for further hearing on October 15.

–IANS

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