LI Network
Published on: February 17, 2024 at 10:34 IST
The Punjab & Haryana High Court has issued notice on a plea urging the use of A4 size paper with double-sided printing instead of legal size paper with single side printing for court documents.
The plea emphasizes the need to minimize paper wastage and contribute to environmental preservation.
A division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Vikas Suri issued notice to the High Court, impleading the Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association as a respondent through the Secretary, considering the public importance of the matter and the significance of optimal paper usage.
Lawyers Vivek Tiwari and Anjali filed the plea, seeking directions to amend High Court Rules and Orders to allow the use of A4 size paper with double-sided printing.
The petitioners argue that the current practice of using legal size paper, also known as “Foolscap,” results in thicker paper that requires more pulp, causing environmental harm. They contend that A4 sheets, being thinner, are more eco-friendly.
The petition highlights that the use of one-sided printing on watermarked/foolscap/legal-size paper dates back to the typewriter era and is no longer necessary with technological advancements allowing for double-sided printing.
The shift to A4 size paper with dual printing is seen as a logical step in line with contemporary practices, especially considering the increasing digitization of court records.
The Court acknowledged that only four High Courts in the country, including Punjab & Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh, have not adopted double-sided printing in writ jurisdiction, where paper consumption is substantial.
While instructing the High Court through the Registrar General and Registrar (Rules) to respond, the Court deferred the matter to April 25.