Please stop your argument, a helpful pop-up says

Placards used to convey powerful messages during protests, to signal cheer sportspersons or actors, are making their presence felt in a new arena – the Supreme Court of India.

Here, they act as silent referees, guiding attorneys, some of whom are not tech-savvy, often listening to virtual dialogues involving patches. With the recent virtual court system having more than a foothold in the judicial system, placards are proving to be of invaluable help.

Often lawyers present their arguments, but are not heard by judges during virtual hearings. Sometimes they are heard but not seen. There are many times when the judges stop listening to the lawyer and appear with each other in the middle of the hearing, but the lawyer inadvertently gives his presentations. On these occasions, the white-armed arm of an anonymous court worker is holding a plank with a suitable message on the platform below the screen.

Over time, the performance of placards has increased to anticipate every technical problem encountered during a court hearing. From the simple “please unmute” in the first months of virtual court hearings last year, there are now several placards to display to lawyers on camera, including “You are not visible but visible” and “You are audible, but visible”. ” .

The latest placard read: “Please stop your argument”. This comes to the fore when the judge suddenly makes a ruckus while a lawyer is arguing.

It’s not that lawyers don’t have a placard or two up their sleeve. Recently, a lawyer said “please unmute me”.