Bill to Legalise Virtual Court Sitting Scales First Reading at Senate
POLITICS DIGEST – A bill that will make it constitutionally legal for court sittings to take place virtually in Nigeria has Tuesday passed through the first reading at the Senate.
The bill which is titled ‘1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB. 418)’ was sponsored by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District of Ekiti state at the Nigerian senate.
The bill is aimed at ensuring the much needed corresponding amendment of relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) in giving legal teeth to virtual court proceedings.
The provisions of the bill as contained in the draft copy, include Section 36 sub-section (3) which states thus: “This section is hereby amended by the addition of the following:
Read Also:
Provided that nothing in this subsection shall invalidate proceedings of a court or the proceedings of a tribunal relating to matters mentioned in subsection (1) of this section (including the announcement of the decisions of the court or tribunal) where same is held by remote hearing or any virtual means now in existence or yet to be developed.
“Section 36 subsection (4) is hereby amended by addition of sub-paragraph (c) as follows: (c) nothing in the foregoing paragraphs shall invalidate proceedings of a court or the proceedings of a tribunal relating to matters mentioned in subsection (1) of this section (including the announcement of the decisions of the court or tribunal) where same is held by remote hearing or any virtual means now in existence or yet to be developed.
“Section 36 subsection (12) is hereby amended by addition of the following subsection (13): In this section, ‘remote hearing’ means proceedings or hearing of court conducted via zoom, skype, whatsapp video or any other social media platform or technological innovation.”
