Why can’t 5G speed be provided at consumer commissions: HC

New Delhi: Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the stand of govt on a PIL seeking to restore video-conferencing hearings and basic facilities in the city's district consumer commissions.The court was hearing a PIL highlighting the dismal state of the consumer courts. The bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked Delhi govt to respond, granting it three weeks to file its response.According to the PIL, once the COVID-19 pandemic ended, the facility for affected parties to appear via video conferencing was no longer available at various consumer fora, even though it is being expanded and improved in other district courtrooms.It sought the restart of the facility at all 10 district consumer commissions for the benefit of consumers who mostly argue their grievances on their own.The plea also cited replies from some district commissions to an RTI filed on the matter, where the commissions blamed the lack of infrastructure and absence of a 5G connection for the absence of the video-conferencing facility. The bench wondered why govt can't provide a 5G connections to the commissions.Despite earlier directions by the high court, the authorities were yet to provide basic facilities to lawyers and the public at the consumer commissions, the plea said. Last year, the high court had warned that govt cannot "muzzle" courts in this way, compelling them to approach Supreme Court for getting budgets cleared."The state is only interested in slashing the budgets of courts. We find that there is a deliberate pattern. For everything, we need to go to Supreme Court. There are no ladies' toilets in the consumer forums," the court had said.