Delhi HC Directs District Courts To Adopt Standardized ‘Online Filing System’

The Delhi High Court has recently issued a directive to all district courts, urging them to adopt a standardized online system for the submission of pleadings, documents, and miscellaneous applications in ongoing cases.

The high court emphasized that transparency and accountability hold paramount significance in judicial proceedings. Each submission, whether it be an application, pleading, document, or any other form of communication to the court, must be acknowledged with a unique filing number. This approach ensures traceability, preventing potential disputes or discrepancies regarding submission.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula stated in an August 17 order, “Given the strict timelines, especially in criminal proceedings, commercial courts, and other time-sensitive matters, an accurate recording of the filing date is of utmost importance. Absence of concrete acknowledgment threatens the very foundation of procedural fairness and efficiency.”

The high court’s interim order emerged in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) addressing the administrative procedure related to acknowledging the filing of pleadings, documents, and miscellaneous applications in ongoing cases within Delhi district courts. Currently, it lacks a standardized procedure for assigning a filing number or providing an acknowledgment receipt for such submissions.

The counsel for the petitioner, Karan S Thukral, highlighted the current filing method in district courts, wherein lawyers and parties are constrained to use unsupervised drop boxes for submitting miscellaneous applications associated with ongoing matters.

The plea states, in some instances, court masters or readers receive filings but fail to issue acknowledgments. Such a system has often led to lost applications or unverified claims about the non-filing of certain documents.

This procedural gap not only complicates tracking and verifying submissions but also exposes room for potential manipulation, errors, and mismanagement.

Furthermore, the high court observed that despite PILs initiated in 2019, a tangible and systematic approach addressing these concerns remains conspicuously absent in district courts. The bench noted that discussions were underway within the Rules Committee of the high court concerning this matter since January, but no conclusive resolution has been reached.

The bench strongly recommended adopting a standardized online filing system for the mentioned submissions and filings in Delhi district courts. This necessitates establishing the requisite technological infrastructure to support the system. Moreover, it’s essential for lawyers and concerned parties to receive training to effectively navigate this online method.

The bench stated, “We acknowledge the challenges inherent in such a transition. The initial stages would necessitate the allocation of resources for training and demand adaptability from all stakeholders. However, we are firm in our conviction that, in the long run, this system will usher in an era of greater efficiency, transparency, and reliability.”

While acknowledging that full implementation of an online system will require time, the bench directed temporary measures, including centralizing all filings related to ongoing and pending cases in district courts, similar to the existing procedure for new cases. This system must assign a unique filing number to each submission and issue an acknowledgment receipt to the concerned party or attorney. This may necessitate staff recruitment or augmentation.

It stated, “The respective principal district and sessions judges are tasked with overseeing this centralized filing mechanism’s swift and effective deployment. They must also ensure that the transition is seamless and training is provided to all relevant stakeholders, thereby minimizing the disruptions in court proceedings.”

Patiala House Court has been designated as the pilot site for testing the central filing system on a trial basis. Upon a subsequent review by the high court, this system may then be expanded to other district courts.

The high court directed all district courts to enhance their existing online filing systems to incorporate a procedure for submitting miscellaneous applications, aligning them with the prevailing procedure for new cases.

The high court stated, “They shall also publish a manual/ handbook/ tutorial elucidating the procedure for e-filing documents by counsel/ parties, with relevant screenshots, on their website.”

The bench listed the matter for a review on October 9, when the authorities will provide updates concerning the implementation of both the centralized and online systems, along with developments from the deliberations of the Rules Committee of the high court.