The Supreme Court has implemented comprehensive austerity measures amid the ongoing fuel crisis, with cases listed on Mondays and Fridays to be heard exclusively through videoconferencing. According to the latest circular issued by Secretary-General Bharat Parashar on May 15, 2026, the decision came after judges unanimously resolved to encourage car-pooling arrangements among themselves to ensure optimum fuel utilisation. This move follows an official call by the Prime Minister and government to take widespread fuel conservation measures amidst a burgeoning energy crisis in the backdrop of the U.S.-Iran conflict. The court has also adopted a hybrid mode of hearing every week from Tuesday to Thursday, allowing lawyers and litigants to choose between physical and virtual attendance on these days. The revised system ensures that Mondays and Fridays, often reserved for miscellaneous matters, will now function entirely in virtual mode until further orders. The circular effectively means that physical hearings would continue only during the regular hearing days, which are mostly Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with a recent trend of miscellaneous cases being listed on Tuesdays as well.
The apex court has introduced a flexible work arrangement allowing up to 50 per cent of staff in each branch or section to work from home for up to two days every week. As reported by The Hindu, the circular states that staff who work from home must remain available on the telephone and be ready to attend office if required. The Registry has implemented a rotational basis to ensure that court functioning remains smooth during these work-from-home arrangements. This arrangement aims for efficient operations while maintaining uninterrupted court functioning, with the Registrar concerned ensuring a weekly roster is prepared before the commencement of each week. The move towards hybrid justice aims to reduce travel for lawyers, litigants and court staff while maintaining judicial efficiency, with officials indicating that the decision is administrative in nature and designed to improve efficiency without compromising hearing quality.
The Supreme Court has established strict technical requirements for virtual hearings, with the Registry ensuring timely delivery of videoconferencing links and maintaining stable facilities. According to the circular issued by the court, technical assistance facilities must be extended to avoid any inconvenience to the Hon'ble Court. The Registry has been directed to ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place for smooth virtual proceedings, with technical support available for both online and hybrid hearing arrangements. The court's decision comes soon after PM Modi urged citizens to adopt practical steps such as remote work and limited travel, with the Supreme Court responding by implementing these measures across its operations. The move builds on substantial experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic when physical proceedings were suspended nationwide, leading to rapid digitisation of court processes including e-filing systems, virtual benches, and remote appearances by lawyers.
The work-from-home policy includes provisions for restricting or modifying arrangements if the Registrar determines that such arrangements are not effective for specific branches or sections. As reported by The Hindu, the concerned Registrar may restrict or modify work-from-home arrangements after considering the essential nature of work in each branch or section. This approach ensures uninterrupted functioning while accommodating flexible work arrangements and maintaining the court's operational efficiency. The circular has been issued just days ahead of the court's summer vacation in June, with the court replacing the term 'summer vacation' with 'partial working days', allowing more Benches to hear urgent matters like bail and habeas corpus cases. Legal commentators suggest this could eventually improve case management efficiency and reduce pendency, which has crossed 93,000 cases and is threatening to cross the six-figure mark. However, the success of this model will depend on sustained investment in courtroom technology, training for legal professionals and ensuring that rural litigants are not disadvantaged by the shift to digital platforms.
