P&H HC Does It Bit To Save 1.50cr Paper Sheets Annually, Brings In Doorstep Delivery Of Orders; Adopts Many Measures For Accessible Justice System

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, under the leadership of Chief Justice Krishna Murari, has taken several measures to save paper while also making justice delivery system litigant-friendly.

The high court has introduced an e-payment module and litigants can now pay for services such as copy of the order, inspection etc., through internet banking, debit, credit cards, prepaid cards etc.

It is also in the process of introducing new printing parameters providing for both side printing of the pleadings filed in court, which will result in saving about 1.50 crore papers per annum and also save space required for storage of records.

Filing of record of the Writ Petition in Letters Patent Appeal has been dispensed with, which will result in saving around 2.50 lakh papers per annum.

That is not all.

Now instead of physical printouts of receipts, SMS will be sent on the registered mobile number of the applicant.

The move has been adopted looking at the figures from last year when around 5 lakh receipts were issued in the high court for the filing of different applications or cases which consumed around 800 rolls of paper equivalent to 400 rims of A4 size paper (500 sheets each).

Not just in terms of saving paper, the high court has also taken several steps to ensure doorstep delivery of certified copy of orders and educate litigants while checking traffic on its website with as many as 3.68 lakh visitors on its website in past eight months, the highest in the country for any court.

To facilitate litigants and the lawyers, a facility for online application for supply of certified copy of orders or for inspection has also been started. The certified copy of any order applied online is delivered to the applicant through speed post at his residence.

Interestingly, the facility of filing application for supply of a certified copy of the orders passed in the high court has also been provided in all the districts courts in Punjab and Haryana. Any litigant or lawyer can apply copy of the order, which will be supplied at the district level and there is no need for visiting the high court.

Besides, there are around 12,000 Common Service Centres in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh from where any litigant can even apply for certified copy of an order through those centres.

It is to be noted that the website of Punjab and Haryana High Court has a five-star rating on the National Portal of India.

Its recently launched mobile PHHC eCourts Services’ app also got a rating of 4.8 out of 5 on Google App Store within few days of its launch.

A dedicated website link of the Indian Judiciary has been provided on the website of Consulate General of India, Toronto, Canada (i.e., www.cgi.toronto.ca) and NRIs can obtain information pertaining to their matters pending in Indian courts by accessing this dedicated link.

For expeditious disposal of murder references pending in the high court seeking confirmation of capital punishment, the Chief Justice has constituted three special benches of Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Gurvinder Singh Gill; Justice A.B. Chaudhari and Justice Surinder Gupta and that of Justice Rajan Gupta and Justice Raj Shekhar Attri.

On Tuesday, in a meeting held with the members of Bar, Justice Rajesh Bindal, chairman, Computer Committee, High Court of Punjab and Haryana, sensitised advocates regarding some of the latest IT initiatives taken by the high court, which will benefit the lawyers, litigants and public as well. The meeting was attended by Justice Surinder Gupta, Justice Arun Palli and Justice BS Walia, members of the Computer Committee.