SC agrees to examine plea seeking hybrid hearings in family courts

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the introduction of hybrid hearings in family courts across the country.

A bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, agreed to examine and sought responses of the Centre, states, and Union Territories.

"Issue notice, returnable in six weeks," ordered the Bench, also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The plea, filed by advocate K.C. Jain, said that the Family Courts Act was enacted with the objective of ensuring the speedy resolution of family disputes, yet over 11 lakh cases remain pending in family courts across the country.

"The significant delays in case disposal, particularly in matters of maintenance, child custody, visitation rights, restitution of conjugal rights, and divorce, are exacerbating the emotional and financial strain on litigants, particularly women and children," said the PIL.

It also said that adopting an electronic mode of hearings in family courts would not only address the geographical and logistical challenges faced by litigants, particularly in cross-city/state marriages, but would also ensure that justice is delivered in a timely and efficient manner.

The petition also highlighted the need for a centralised reporting and monitoring system for family court cases, which would track the type of case, the statute under which it is filed, and the time taken for disposal, allowing for data-driven policy interventions and more efficient management of family court resources.

In October last year, the Supreme Court had directed the implementation of a hybrid mode of hearings in the High Courts and Tribunals operating under all Union Government Ministries. Similarly, it had issued directions for virtual hearings in State Information Commissions established under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2006.