LI Network
Published on: 24 August 2023 at 16:30 IST
The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to all district courts within its jurisdiction, urging the adoption of a standardized online system for the submission of pleadings, documents, and miscellaneous applications in ongoing cases.
The high court emphasized the significance of transparency and accountability in judicial processes.
It underscored that every application, document, or submission to the court must receive a distinct filing number, ensuring traceability and preempting potential disputes or discrepancies concerning their submission.
Noting the stringent timelines in criminal proceedings, commercial courts, and time-sensitive matters, the court highlighted the importance of accurately recording filing dates.
It asserted that an absence of concrete acknowledgment jeopardizes procedural fairness and efficiency.
This interim order stemmed from a public interest litigation (PIL) addressing the administrative procedure of acknowledging the filing of pleadings, documents, and miscellaneous applications in ongoing cases within Delhi’s district courts.
Presently, no standardized protocol exists for issuing filing numbers or acknowledgment receipts for such submissions.
The petition highlighted the existing filing process in district courts, wherein lawyers and parties rely on unsupervised drop boxes for submitting miscellaneous applications related to ongoing cases. In some instances, the court master or reader receives the filings but fails to provide an acknowledgment. This deficiency has led to lost applications or allegations regarding the non-filing of specific documents.
The high court acknowledged that despite PILs initiated in 2019, a coherent and systematic procedure to address these concerns remains absent in district courts.
The bench recommended the adoption of a standardized online filing system for these submissions and urged the establishment of requisite technological infrastructure.
Acknowledging the challenges in transitioning, the court expressed conviction that the system will ultimately enhance efficiency, transparency, and reliability.
While a complete online implementation will require time, the court directed the adoption of temporary measures, including centralizing filings related to ongoing and pending cases, akin to the procedure for new cases.
This centralization must assign a unique filing number to each submission and issue an acknowledgment receipt. Necessary staff recruitment or augmentation may be necessary.
Patiala House Court will serve as a trial ground for the central filing system. Following a review, this system may be extended to other district courts.
The court directed district courts to enhance their existing online filing systems to integrate the filing of miscellaneous applications, aligning them with procedures for new cases.
A manual/handbook/tutorial elucidating the e-filing process will be published on court websites. A review is scheduled for October 9 to assess the implementation of central and online systems, along with updates from the Rules Committee of the high court.
