The Supreme Court sought the response of the Allahabad High Court Registrar General on a plea challenging the High Court’s decision to defer setting up of E-Seva Kendras in the district courts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra issued a notice and listed the matter for hearing after four weeks.
The public interest litigation (PIL) petition lodged by advocate Ansar Ahmad Chaudhary raised grievance against a letter by the Registrar of the High Court dated November 28, 2023 effectively putting in abeyance the setting up of E-Seva kendras in the district courts in Uttar Pradesh.
The petition stated that the absence of the technology assistance kiosks has posed difficulty for the lawyers of western Uttar Pradesh to electronically file and appear in their cases. It also mentioned that the Registrar’s decision came at the behest of the High Court Bar Association. Beside challenging the petition on E-Seva kendras, the petition also prayed that cases before the Allahabad HIgh Court from Western Uttar Pradesh be taken up through hybrid mode.
Earlier in March 2023, the apex court directed the setting up of E-Seva kendras at Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) across the country. A bench of CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice P S Narasimha and Justice J B Pardiwala noted that e-filing provides for transparency and efficiency in the administration of justice.
The top court made the aforesaid order on setting up E-Seva kendras while hearing a plea made by Madhya Pradesh High Court Bar Association challenging a notification issued by the Finance Ministry’s Department of Financial Services making the practice of e-filing in DRTs and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs) mandatory.
Notably, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had expressed strong displeasure over judges at the Bombay High Court doing away with video conference hearings or hybrid mode hearings.