The Supreme Court has questioned the wisdom of its own judgment to use videoconferencing in matrimonial case proceedings, saying the verdict may not have been a well-informed one and requires a review by a larger Bench “expeditiously.”
In March 2017, a Bench of Justices A.K. Goel and U.U. Lalit decided to spare estranged couples, especially those who live far away from each other, the drudgery of coming to court in person for their marital cases. This Bench had asked courts to open up their videoconferencing facilities in such cases.
Now, almost five months later, a Bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and R. Banumathi has said the Justice Goel Bench judgment has not taken into account the spirit and intent of family court proceedings. The Justice Kurian Bench, in a 14-page order, said introducing videoconferencing into family disputes may end up doing more harm than good.