The Uttarakhand High Court issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed raising a grievance with regard to the rules framed by the High Court, called “High Court of Uttarakhand Party-in-Person Rules, 2020”.
The grievance of the petitioner is that the procedure devised by the said rules is cumbersome and time consuming, and makes it very difficult for party-in-person litigants to pursue their case from the time of its filing till the time of its initial listing before the Court.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal issued notice to the respondents and directed that a counter-affidavit be filed within two weeks, particularly, explaining the rational behind the committee of party-inperson fixing a date for interview of the party-in-person, and interviewing the said party.
“It should also be disclosed in the affidavit, as to how many matters have been filed by party-in-person since 1st of January 2022, and the timeline in respect of each of those matters, i.e., the time taken from the date of the petition being dropped in the drop-box till the time of its listing. The time taken in fixing a date for interview, and interviewing the party-in-person, should also be disclosed”, the Bench further directed.
Matter is listed on 09.08.2023 for further hearing.