Judgments Should Be Signed Using Digital Signature; Avoid Uploading Scanned Versions Of Printed Copies: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court observed that judgments should be accessible to persons from all sections of society including persons with disability.

The court added that the judgments should be signed using digital signatures.

"They should not be scanned versions of printed copies. The practice of printing and scanning documents is a futile and time-consuming process which does not serve any purpose. The practice should be eradicated from the litigation process as it tends to make documents as well as the process inaccessible for an entire gamut of citizens.", the bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna observed.

The bench observed thus while disposing an appeal against a judgment of Himachal Pradesh High Court that had upheld an order of Central Government Industrial Tribunal. The court issued broad guidelines on writing judgments after it found that the impugned judgment of the High Court is incomprehensible.

The court also shared its suggestions for improving the readability and accessibility of the judgments.

It is also useful for all judgments to carry paragraph numbers as it allows for ease of reference and enhances the structure, improving the readability and accessibility of the judgments. A Table of Contents in a longer version assists access to the reader.

The court also emphasized the importance of making judgments accessible to persons from all sections of society, especially persons with disability. It made the following observations:

1. All judicial institutions must ensure that the judgments and orders being published by them do not carry improperly placed watermarks as they end up making the documents inaccessible for persons with visual disability who use screen readers to access them.
2. Courts and tribunals must also ensure that the version of the judgments and orders uploaded is accessible and signed using digital signatures. They should not be scanned versions of printed copies.
3. The practice of printing and scanning documents is a futile and time-consuming process which does not serve any purpose. The practice should be eradicated from the litigation process as it tends to make documents as well as the process inaccessible for an entire gamut of citizens