Plea In Allahabad High Court Challenges Order Of Govt Advocate, Chief Standing Counsel Refusing To Accept Notice Vide Email

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday sought response from the Chief Standing Counsel for Uttar Pradesh on a plea challenging his notice directing that all soft copies of petitions/ applications be supplied to his office through pendrive.

On 11^th October, 2023, the Chief Standing Counsel and the Government Advocate for the State of U.P. published a notice stating that no pdf copy of any notice served through email shall be accepted. The Counsel were directed to provide pdf copies only through USB/ Thumb Drives.

Petitioner, Pradeep Kumar Singh, a practicing advocate of the Allahabad High Court challenged the said order through writ petition, which was later converted into a public interest litigation by the Court. It has been argued in the petition that providing pdf copies of petitions was easier through e-mail. The emails are easily accessible to the advocates and litigants appearing in-person, it is said.

It has also been stated that the e-service centers established for e-filing of cases will become meaningless if the litigant or the advocate has to physically visit the office of the Chief Standing Counsel and the Government Advocate for giving notice.

The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Kshitij Shailendra directed the Chief Standing Counsel “to apprise the Court of the steps taken by the State for accepting notice by email.”

The case is directed to be listed on 7^th February 2024.

Case Title: Pradeep Kumar Singh v. State Of U.P. And 4 Others [Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. - 20 of 2024]

Click Here To Read/Download Order