Delhi High Court has issued a directive to centralize all filings pertaining to ongoing and pending cases in district courts. In a recent order on August 17, Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in judicial proceedings. The court underscored the need for a unique filing number and acknowledgment receipt for every submission, ensuring traceability and preventing disputes.

The court acknowledged the time required for complete online implementation and proposed interim measures to address procedural gaps. As part of the new system, court masters will maintain an inward dak register and assign acknowledgment numbers to filing counsels/parties. The Patiala House Court will serve as a trial ground for the centralized filing system, and upon review, this system may extend to other district courts.

The directive also mandates the enhancement of existing online filing procedures to incorporate the filing of miscellaneous applications, aligning them with new case procedures. Additionally, district courts must publish a manual detailing the e-filing process for counsels/parties, with support from the Information Technology Committee.

These interim measures are to be adhered to until the formal launch of the online filing system or until the Rules Committee finalizes and promulgates relevant rules. The court scheduled a review for October 9 to assess progress on both the centralized and online systems, as well as updates from the High Court Rules Committee.

The petitioner was represented by Advocates Sahil Ralli and Vaishnavi Arora. On the other side, Standing Counsel Avnish Ahlawat and advocates Nitesh Kumar Singh, Laavanya Kaushik, Aliza Alam, and Mohnish Sehrawat represented the respondents. The court's focus on systematic improvements aims to enhance the efficiency and fairness of court proceedings, especially in time-sensitive cases.

Case Title: Karan S Thukral vs. The District and Sessions Judge

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