SC judge advises lawyers to opt for virtual hearings amid rising air pollution in Delhi

Supreme Court judge Justice P S Narasimha on Thursday advised lawyers to appear virtually instead of attending court in person, citing the hazardous air quality in Delhi-NCR.

The observation was made by Justice Narasimha, who was sitting on the bench alongside Justice Atul S Chandurkar, during the mentioning of cases.

As the national capital continued to grapple with severe pollution levels, the judge advised advocates to make use of the virtual hearing facility to avoid health risks.

When senior advocate Kapil Sibal remarked that several lawyers were already wearing masks in court, Justice Narasimha cautioned that masks alone may not be adequate protection, warning that “the toxic air can cause permanent damage”.

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The national capital has been grappling with toxic air since the beginning of the month. Its air quality has remained in the ‘severe’ category this week.

On Tuesday, Delhi recorded its first ‘severe’ air quality day of the season with an AQI of 428 at 4 PM, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). A similar ‘severe’ category reading was reported on Wednesday as well.