Starting July 1, the Manipur High Court will implement a hybrid mode of functioning in district courts, enhancing accessibility for lawyers and litigants. This initiative, part of a broader set of e-court projects, is led by Chief Justice Siddharth Mridul, along with Justices A Bimol Singh and A Guneshwar Sharma.

Government Support and Equipment Procurement

The Manipur government has allocated ₹13.36 crores for this project, which has been used to purchase equipment such as Interactive Touch Screen Displays, Ultra HD Professional Displays, cameras, video recording and streaming devices, microphones, speakers, and VC software licenses.

Partnership for Internet Connectivity

To ensure reliable internet connectivity across all courts in the State, the High Court has entered into a lease agreement with RailTel.

Video Conferencing and Hybrid Hearings

From July 1, advocates and litigants will be able to appear before district courts via video conferencing. This follows the High Court of Manipur (Video-Conferencing for Courts) Rules, 2020. Each district court will provide a video conferencing link and a helpline on their official websites.

Mandatory E-Filing

E-filing will become mandatory for new case filings in district courts. In urgent cases, a presiding officer may exempt from e-filing, provided that the filing is completed within ten days, and a report is submitted to the court. A hard copy of the e-filed case must also be submitted on the same day, unless an exemption is granted.

Pilot Project for Expansion

The e-filing initiative will begin as a pilot project in district courts, with plans to expand to other courts in the State based on its success.

Implementation of E-Office Processes

From July 1, the High Court will mandate the use of e-office processes for administrative and financial matters. Exemptions will be granted for files containing sensitive information or where e-office processes might cause delays, with the Registrar General holding the power to grant such exemptions.

New Management Systems

The High Court is also introducing an Inventory Management System and a Vehicle Management System to manage the movement of court files. Starting July 1, these systems will be mandatory, with exemptions granted by the Registrar General on a case-by-case basis.

This series of initiatives marks a significant step toward modernizing court proceedings and improving the efficiency and accessibility of the legal system in Manipur.