Allahabad High Court Seeks Notification Of Rules For Appointment Of E-Court Employees Within 3 Weeks [Read Order]

The Single Bench of Justice Manish Kumar has asked the Government to notify the "Uttar Pradesh E-Courts Centralized Computer Service Rules, 2018" so that various posts of System Assistants for video conferencing at the High Court may be filled.

The Court was hearing an application wherein it was informed that as many as 71 additional posts of System Assistants for video conferencing are vacant at the High Court. Similarly, 23 posts of System Officer and 26 posts of System Assistant under Court project.

However, it was stated that the State had been delaying the notification of Rules, as already forwarded by the High Court, and this in turn was adversely affecting the smooth functioning of the Court.

Significantly, on a previous hearing, the Court had clarified all the objections raised by the State Government regarding the Rules and it had granted a week's time to the State Counsel to seek instructions in the matter.

However, when the matter was taken up on October 15, the Court observed that there was no substantial progress and the State Counsel sought for two months' time to get the Rules notified by the State Government.

He informed the Court that the concerned file was in the Law Department and the Cabinet Note is under preparation. After the preparation of the Cabinet Note, the file would go to the Finance Department, Karmik Department and thereafter it shall be placed before the Cabinet for approval of the Rules.

The counsel appearing for the High Court on the other hand, pressed the matter on ground of urgency. He pointed out that all the Courts were already running/functioning through video conferencing and filing of case is also on through e-filing. Thus, e-Court employees were required urgently.

In view thereof, the Single Bench has asked the State Government to "minimize" the time in processing the matter, by processing the file on day-to-day basis and not in a routine manner.

It ordered,

"It is expected that all the concerned departments as informed by the learned Senior Advocate representing the State shall make their best effort to complete all the formalities within a period of ten days by taking this matter on the priority basis, looking to the urgency in the matter and place the same before the Cabinet immediately thereafter for notifying the Rules."

It added,

"This court expects that the State Government shall notify the Rules within a period of three weeks from today and inform this Court by the next date of listing, failing which the Principal Secretary (Law)/Legal Remembrance shall appear in person before the Court. Let this case be listed on 18th November, 2020."

Case Title: Ajay Singh & Ors. v. State of UP & Ors.

Appearance: Advocates Salil Tripathi, Amrendra Nath Tripathi and Ashish Raman Mishra (for Petitioners); Chief Standing Counsel Gaurav Mahrotra and Advocate UN Misra (for Respondent)

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