BREAKING : Supreme Court Directs High Courts To Make E-Filing Mandatory In Certain Categories From January 2022

The Supreme Court has given instructions to make e-filing of petitions mandatory in certain categories from January 1, 2022.

As per letter dated October 9, 2021, the Chairman of the E-Committee of the Supreme Court has directed all High Courts to ensure :

"(I) E-filing of cases/petitions by government in all types of matters to be made mandatory from 1 January 2022. After such date, there should be no physical filing of cases by government in any matter,

(II) E-filing is to be made compulsory for all, in some categories of matters like revenue, tax, arbitration, commercial disputes and any other category as deemed fit by the High Court, from 1 January 2022;

(III) E-filing of petitions, appeals and revisions against the judgments/orders of the subordinate courts to be made mandatory from 1 January 2022. In case of e-filing of an appeal or revision, the required record of the trial court can be digitally linked with the appellate/revisional court.

(IV) Suits for money recovery (loan recovery suits by banks, arrears of rent, etc.), complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, applications for maintenance, petitions for divorce by mutual consent and bail applications can also be considered for mandatory e-filing;

(V) Appropriate practice note/circular can be issued to withdraw the requirement of submission of physical copies of the case file, if e-filing has been made"