Court Summons Man for Smoking during Virtual Hearing

A recent incident at Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court highlighted a blatant disregard for virtual courtroom etiquette when an individual was caught smoking during a video conferencing(VC) session. The court took serious note of this misconduct and demanded an explanation from the person involved regarding why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.

"Court notice be issued to applicant Sushil Kumar for appearing in person, in the Court, on the next date of hearing (NDOH)," ordered District Judge (West) Shiv Kumar on March 25.

The situation unfolded during a hearing concerning the probate of a will. Initially, Sushil Kumar was in a phone conversation while attending the proceedings via video conferencing. The court instructed him to discontinue the call as it was causing disruption, but he ignored the directive. Consequently, his audio was muted to prevent further disturbance.

Despite this, Kumar’s inappropriate behavior continued. When questioned about his actions, he expressed regret and assured the court that such behavior would not be repeated. However, as the court was dictating its order, a staff member observed him smoking on camera. When confronted, Kumar abruptly disconnected from the video session. His legal representative also left the courtroom after securing the next date for the case.

Following this blatant act of disregard, the court issued a stern directive requiring Sushi Kumar to appear in person on March 29, 2025, to justify his misconduct. The court aims to assess whether legal consequences should be imposed for violating the decorum of judicial proceedings.

This incident underscores the growing need for maintaining professionalism and respect in virtual court sessions. As video conferencing becomes an integral part of legal proceedings, strict adherence to courtroom protocols remains imperative to uphold the sanctity of the judicial process.