Supreme Court Seeks Responses On HCs On Plea To Allow E-Inspection Of Court Records

The Supreme Court recently issued notice on a PIL seeking to allow advocates and litigants to inspect the digitised judicial records of High Courts and other Courts through online means.

The bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra while issuing notice in the petition had also sought a response from the Union and Registrar Generals of all 25 High Courts.

"Issue Notice. Service on the Registrar General of all the High Courts is permitted to be effected through the electronic mode."

The petitioner is seeking the following : (1) directions to all high courts and district courts to allow applicants and/or their lawyers to conduct e-inspection of digitised court records both pending and disposed of through the Court's official web portal or mobile application; (2) the said directions may be uniformly governed in line with 'The Delhi High Court Rules for Electronic Inspection of Digitized Court Records, 2023'; (3) the directions shall apply only to the persons eligible for physical inspections in terms with the Rules of the respective Court.

Additionally, the petitioner also sought direction to the High Courts and District Courts to implement an exhaustive digital case management system by ensuring that the digital records of the district courts are 'interlinked or hyperlinked' with the records of the High Court. The direction is sought to allow easy access to case information at both inter-court and intra-court levels.

The matter will now be heard after 6 weeks.

Case Details : KISHAN CHAND JAIN VS. UNION OF INDIA W.P.(C) No. 324/2024