Delhi HC Issues A Slew Of Directions For Strengthening E-Filing And Digitization Of Records In District Courts

While taking the right step in the right direction in the right time, the Delhi High Court has in a most learned, laudable, landmark, logical and latest judgment titled Karan S Thukral vs The District & Sessions Judge & Ors in W.P.(C) 6082/2019 and cited in Neutral Citation No.: 2024 : DHC : 132-DB that was pronounced as recently as on January 4, 2024 has addressed succinctly the issue of nonregistration of interim applications in District Courts and has also gone ahead and taken the most bold initiative to issue a slew of commendable directions for the strengthening and streamlining e-filing and digitization of records.

This is the crying need of the hour also. In hindsight, it must be mentioned that the Delhi High Court had issued commendable directions for the implementations of a Centralised Filing System on pilot basis in New Delhi District, which was reported to have been successfully implemented in Patiala House District Courts.

At the very outset, this brief, brilliant, bold and balanced judgment authored by Hon’ble The Acting Chief Justice Manmohan for a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court comprising of himself and Hon’ble Mr Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora sets the ball in motion by first and foremost putting forth in para 1 that, “The present Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed seeking the following prayers:

I. Issue a writ of or in the nature of mandamus and/ or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing for implementation of a uniform procedure for all miscellaneous filing including documents, applications, list of judgments etcetera during the course of a proceeding/ case/trial pending before a District Court; through the filing counter/filing department/registry;

II. Issue a writ of or in the nature of mandamus and/ or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing a complete embargo on all miscellaneous filing across the bar in the District Courts except in cases which warrant an exception to be adopted in grave facts and circumstances, or in cases where such miscellaneous filing or receiving of the documents directly by the court is provided under the law.