web-cam-796227_640In what is understood be one of its first, the Madras High Court has on November 15, 2015 passed an order in a marriage related case after hearing arguments online over Skype, reported The Hindu. The urgent hearing via video chat then paved way for successful performance of a marriage ceremony under police protection.

As per the reports, a writ petition with an application for urgent hearing was filed by the petitioner seeking police protection for the marriage in view of threat from some quarters. As the court was shut for the week-long Diwali vacations, none of the judges could be found in-station to hear the case. However the administrative judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian suggested Justice S Vaidyanathan of Madurai Bench of the Court to hear the case through Skype.

Justice S. Vaidyanathan thereafter heard the arguments of the lawyers at his residence in Chennai via Skype and passed orders after receiving necessary documents through e-mail. He directed the police to provide protection for the marriage ceremony and ordered that a marriage procession would not be allowed outside the Adaikala Matha Church where marriage was to be solemnsied.

The petitioner had alleged that police had objected to the conduct of the marriage ceremony at Adaikalamatha church on the ground that he had already agreed to perform it in some other church. It was alleged that the undertaking to perform the marriage in some other church had been obtained under coercion.

As per the report, a court official related to the case said:

We scanned all the case documents and mailed them to Mr. Justice Vaidyanathan who perused them in Chennai before hearing the petitioner’s lawyer V. Panneerselvam as well as Government Advocate S. Chandrasekar on Skype. He then mailed his order granting police protection to us and we issued a certified order copy to the petitioner by 8 p.m.